By Jim Fenton

CASTLETON, Vt. -- For the second time in three years, the Bridgewater State University men's tennis team has won the Little East Conference regular-season championship outright.

The Bears finished an undefeated conference run Saturday afternoon, defeating Vermont State Castleton, 7-0, and finished one game ahead of Rhode Island College.

BSU had clinched at least a tie for the regular-season title earlier in the week by defeating RIC, last year's champion.

BSU (10-4) went 6-0 in the Little East and will take an eight-match winning streak into the conference tournament.

The Bears will host a semifinal-round match on Thursday afternoon at the Rosen Memorial Tennis Courts. Their opponent will be determined on Tuesday when the quarterfinal round takes place.

BSU won both the regular-season and tournament championships in 2024 and reached the NCAA Division III tourney for the first time in program history.

The Bears are now 6-0 against Vermont State Castleton since the series began in 2019.

BSU swept the three doubles matches for the opening point against the Spartans (2-10, 0-6 Little East).

Senior Adam Beatrice (Rockland, Mass.) and junior Khiem Nguyen (Burlington, Vt.) gave the Bears a win at No. 1 doubles over Tanner Ciufo and Remy Maynard, 6-1.

At No. 2, freshman Will Horton (Lakeville, Mass.) and senior Ryan Hebert (Taunton, Mass.) scored a 6-1 win over Charles Watson and Trevor Castino.

Juniors Tom Ayson (Plymouth, Mass.) and Anthony Lucas (Weymouth, Mass.) won over Tyler Burke and Addy Boynton, 6-0.

Horton took No. 1 singles, 6-0, 6-0, over Ciufo while Beatrice won by the same score over Maynard at No. 2.

Nguyen was a 6-0, 6-1 winner over Watson at No. 3 and Ayson defeated Castino, 6-3, 6-2, at No. 4.

Freshman Jayton Woods (Kingston, Mass.) prevailed at No. 5 over Burke, 6-1, 6-4, and freshman Ryan Abreu (Lakeville, Mass.) won at No. 6 over Boynton, 6-0, 6-0.

This is the third time BSU has won a Little East regular-season title. The Bears were champions in 2006 and two years ago.

BSU has reached double figures in wins for the fourth time. The Bears had 11 wins in 2009 and 10 wins in both 2013 and 2022.

Notes: Ayson was a perfect 6-0 against Little East opponents in singles play during the regular season. Hebert, who did not play singles today, went 5-0...The doubles pairing of Horton and Hebert went 6-0 against the LEC.