NORTON, Mass. – The Wheaton College (Mass.) men's tennis team was defeated by No. 36 Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 9-0, this afternoon in New England Women's & Men's Athletic Conference dual match play this afternoon at the Clark Tennis Courts on the Wheaton campus in Norton, Mass.
The Lyons dip to 4-7 overall and 1-2 in league play, while the Engineers improve to 8-8 and 3-0.
Seniors Derek Shen (Chestnut Hill, Mass.) and Daniel Papacica (Carmel, Calif.) and junior Kailas Kahler (Pawtucket, R.I.) were all double winners for MIT with wins in doubles action and singles play.
The Engineers swept doubles play to take a 3-0 match lead. Shen combined with sophomore Wayne Nelms (Baltimore, Md.) for an 8-4 victory at number one doubles over the Wheaton senior pairing of Josh Anschuetz (West Bloomfield, Mich.) and Jack Luyrink (Paxton, Mass.). Kahler teamed with classmate Joseph Li (Naperville, Ill.) at second doubles for an 8-1 win over senior Ethan Na (Simsbury, Conn.) and sophomore Daniel Bor (Seattle, Wash.) for the Lyons. Papacica and junior Daniel Sharygin (Newburgh, Ind.) combined for an 8-1 win at number three doubles over the Wheaton tandem of senior Gabriel Fellows (Middletown, R.I.) and junior Eli Hanlon (Branford, Conn.).
MIT won all of their singles matches in straight sets.
Kahler was a 6-3, 6-2 winner at first singles over Anschuetz, while Shen had to work for his win at second singles over Na. He won the first frame, 6-2, but Na battled him to a 7-5 decision in the second set. Papacica won at third singles over Bor in a 6-1, 6-0 showing.
Sophomore Ryan Xiao (Cary, N.C.) won at fourth singles over Hanlon and senior Richter Jordaan (Denver, Colo.) earned a 6-1, 6-0 victory at fifth singles over Wheaton junior Ahad Javed (Irving, Texas). Senior Benji Grossman (Sands Point, N.Y.) was also a winner for the Engineers with a 6-1, 6-0 result over Lyon senior Chris Register (Portland, Maine) at number six singles.
MIT returns to action on April 7 when it hosts No. 31 Brandeis University at 4:00 p.m., while Wheaton plays again tomorrow, hosting NEWMAC foe Babson College at 4:00 p.m.
