BRIDGEWATER, Mass. — Junior Paul Berteaux (Paris, France) and sophomore Pablo Munoz (Paris, France) were both double-winners to lead the Wheaton College (Mass.) men's tennis team over host Bridgewater State University, 4-3, this afternoon at Rosen Memorial Tennis Courts in Bridgewater, Mass.
The Lyons win their fourth straight to improve to 6-2 on the season for their best start since the 2013-14 squad was also 6-2. Wheaton's four-match win streak is its longest since a four-game stretch of success from March 12-29, 2014. The Bears dip to 1-2 on the year.
Berteaux and Munoz combined for a 6-2 win at number two doubles over Bridgewater State senior Ryan Hebert (Taunton, Mass.) and first year Will Horton (Lakeville, Mass.). Junior Jaime Gálligo (Madrid, Spain) paired with first year Landon Wyshner (Winston Salem, N.C.) for a 6-3 win at first doubles over Bears' senior Adam Beatrice (Rockland, Mass.) and sophomore Khiem Nguyen (Burlington, Vt.) to gain the doubles points and take a 1-0 lead in the dual match for the Lyons.
Nguyen knotted the match at 1-1 with a win at fourth singles for Bridgewater State over Wheaton junior Jack Thain (Aberdeen, Scotland), 6-3, 6-2.
The Blue and White won the next three singles matches to earn the dual match triumph.
Berteaux gave the Lyons a 2-1 match lead with a 6-2, 6-2 straight set win over Beatrice at number two singles, before junior Calvin Van Dyke (Albuquerque, N.M.) cruised past BSU junior Tom Ayson (Plymouth, Mass.), 6-4, 6-2 to increase Wheaton's lead to 3-1. Munoz registered a 6-2 first set win at number one singles, before gutting out a 7-5 decision in the second frame against Horton to make it 4-1 in favor of the visitors.
The Bears gained three-set wins at fifth and sixth singles to close out the match. Junior Anthony Lucas (Weymouth, Mass.) took the opening set against Wheaton first year David Anghinetti (Rehoboth, Mass.), 6-3, but the Lyon rookie equaled the contest with a 7-6 (4) triumph in the middle set. Lucas bounced back for a 10-8 tie-breaker win in the third set for Bridgewater State. Hebert also claimed a three-set win at sixth singles for BSU. First year Sean Caldwell (Winchester, Mass.) eked out a 7-6 (5) first set victory for the Lyons, before Hebert took the final two frames, 6-4, 10-7.
The Bears' only win in doubles play came at number three behind Ayson and Lucas, who registered a 6-3 result against Anghinetti and Caldwell.
Wheaton returns to the court on Saturday, March 28 when it hosts Springfield College at 12:00 p.m. in New England Women's & Men's Athletic Conference play, while Bridgewater State hosts University of Southern Maine on the same day at 1:00 p.m.