NORTON, Mass. — The Wheaton College (Mass.) men's tennnis team was downed by visiting Springfield College, 6-1, this afternoon at Clark Tennis Courts on the Wheaton campus in Norton, Mass.
The Lyons fall to 2-9 overall and 1-3 in NEWMAC play, while the Pride have won four of five and improve to 10-2 and 2-1.
Springfield swept through doubles play to earn the first point of the dual match. The Pride won five of six in singles play to secure the win.
Junior Marc Villanueva Abad (Barcelona, Mexico), sophomore Angelo Guzman (Port Jefferson Station, N.Y.) and first year Liam Huppke (Markham, Ont.) were all double-winners to lead the Springfield.
The Lyons received their only point at number one singles. Sophomore Jaime Galligo (Madrid, Spain) dropped the first set to senior Tatsuya Kimoto (Yamaguchi, Japan), 6-2, but bounced back to take the second set, 6-4, before dominating the third set, 6-0.
Senior Micah Matsudaira (Cornwall Bridge, Conn.) combined with Villanueva Abad to record a 6-2 victory at number two doubles over the Wheaton sophomore duo of Jake Murray (San Diego, Calif.) and Calvin Van Dyke (Albuquerque, N.M.). Guzman and Huppke teamed for a 6-3 Springfield triumph over Lyon senior Daniel Bor (Seattle, Wash.) and sophomore Paul Berteaux (Courbevoie, France) at number three doubles.
Guzman carried his doubles momentum into singles play, dropping just two games at number two in a 6-1, 6-1 effort over Berteaux. Villanueva Abad needed three sets to defeat Wheaton first year Pablo Munoz (Paris, France), 6-3, 4-6, 6-3. Huppke battled to a 7-5 win in the opening set of fourth singles against Van Dyke, but cruised to a 6-2 second set win to take the match.
The Pride recorded a win at number one doubles as well. The senior combo of Kimoto and Waseem Sablon (Stoughton, Mass.) turned in a 6-2 decision over the Lyons top team of Galligo and Munoz at first doubles.
Springfield won in a pair of three-set matches at fifth and sixth singles. Junior Ethan Gomulka (San Bernardino, Calif.) won the opening frame, 6-4, before Murray evened the match for Wheaton at fifth singles with a 6-4 middle set win. Gomulka pulled out the match with a 6-3 third-set win. Pride senior Zach Taub (New Windsor, N.Y.) outlasted Bor for the win at sixth singles for the visitors. Bor won the first frame, 6-4, before Taub tied the match with a 6-4 win of his own. Taub put together a 7-6 (5) win in the final set to take the match and finish the day.
Wheaton returns to action when it travels to Newport, R.I. on April 12 to play conference rival Salve Regina University at 1:30 p.m., while Springfield returns to the courts on Sunday, April 6 when it hosts Emerson College in NEWMAC play at 12:00 p.m.
