NORTON, Mass. — The Wheaton College (Mass.) men's tennis team was edged by visiting Roger Williams University, 4-3, today at Clark Tennis Courts on the Wheaton campus in Norton, Mass.
The Lyons dip to 0-1 in their first dual match of the season, while the Hawks improve to 1-1.
Junior Camden Poitras shook off an opening set loss and came back to win the next two frames to give RWU the victory.
Wheaton won two of three doubles matches to take the first point of the match, before Roger Williams earned wins at fifth and sixth singles to take a 2-1 margin. The Lyons reclaimed the edge with triumphs at fourth and and first singles, but senior Ryan Carroll (Holden, Mass.) held on for a three-set win at number two singles to set up Poitras for the winning point of the match with his victory at third singles.
Wheaton junior Calvin Van Dyke (Albuquerque, N.M.) won the opening frame at number three singles, 7-5, before Poitras evened the match with a 7-6 middle set. Poitras led 5-4 in the third set, before serving out for the final game to win the set and the match.
Carroll battled to a 7-6 opening set win at number two over Lyon first year Landon Wyshner (Winston-Salem, N.C.), but the Wheaton rookie came back with a 6-3 effort in the second frame. Carroll pulled out the third set with a 6-4 showing to even the dual match at 3-3 for the Hawks.
The Lyons gained wins at number one and two doubles to secure the doubles point. Wyshner teamed with junior Jaime Galligo (Madrid, Spain) for a 6-3 victory at number one over Carroll and sophomore Bronson DeSisto (Las Vegas, Nev.). Van Dyke joined junior Jake Murray (San Diego, Calif.) at second doubles for a 6-3 decision over Poitras and RWU senior Iker Rodriguez Alcocer. The Hawks' lone doubles win came at number three doubles behind senior Steven Mathew (Bayport, N.Y.) and first year Om Seth (Lincoln, R.I.) in a 6-3 result over the Wheaton tandem of junior Jack Thain (The Woodlands, Texas) and first year David Anghinetti (Rehoboth, Mass.).
Roger Williams sophomore Nathan Belmore (Lakeville, Mass.) produced a 6-3, 6-0 win over Anghinetti at sixth singles to knot the match at 1-1. Om rebounded in fine fashion after dropping a 6-2 opening set to Thain, by not dropping a game in the final two sets, 6-0, 6-0, to give the Hawks their first lead of the match.
Murray defeated Rodriguez Alcocer in straight sets, 6-4, 6-3, at number four singles and Galligo battled to a three-set win at number one to give the Lyons a 3-2 edge. Galligo cruised past DeSisto in the opening frame, 6-1, but DeSisto responded with a 6-4 second set triumph. Galligo regrouped for a 6-3 third set win for Wheaton.
The Hawks will be in action again when they head to Newport, R.I. to play Salve Regina University on October 2 at 3:30 p.m. The Lyons return to the courts when they travel to Medford, Mass. to compete in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association New England Regional Championship hosted at Voute Courts at host Tufts University from October 3-5.
