COLCHESTER, Vt. - The Saint Michael's College men's tennis team continued a four-match run during which it is facing three regionally-ranked opponents by falling to two-time defending Northeast-10 Conference Championship titlist Merrimack College, 9-0, on Saturday in the Tarrant Recreation Center. The Purple Knights fell to 0-6 overall and 0-5 in the league, while the Warriors, who are fifth in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) East Region poll, are 5-3 and 4-0.
Saint Michael's was playing its first home match since Sept. 22 in opposing Merrimack, which has also won the past three NE-10 regular-season crowns while qualifying for the last six NCAA Tournaments.
Senior Chris Allen (Springfield, Mass./Cathedral) and first-year Hayden Steward (Hamilton, Mass./Pingree School) played the closest doubles match of the day, losing a narrow 8-6 decision at No. 2. Seniors Nick Bosco (Glastonbury, Conn./East Catholic) and Tom Brahm (Marlborough, Conn./Xavier) teamed to grab three points at No. 1 against the fifth-ranked tandem in the region.
Merrimack won four singles matches in straight sets and two more in pro-sets. Sophomore Charlie Merry (Kennebunkport, Maine/Kennebunk) claimed five points in his setback at No. 4, while Steward fell by an 8-4 count in the fifth position.
The Purple Knights host regionally-ranked Adelphi University next Saturday at 2 p.m. in the back end of a doubleheader with the women's teams.
