SOUTH BURLINGTON, Vt. - The Saint Michael's College men's tennis team opened a three-match homestand with a 9-0 loss to regionally-ranked Adelphi University on Friday at The EDGE during Northeast-10 Conference play. The Purple Knights are 1-7 overall and 1-6 in the league, while the Panthers improved to 8-3 and 8-1. Adelphi qualified for the 2014 NCAA Tournament and is ranked sixth in the latest Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) East Regional poll.

Juniors Sam Laves (Bedford, N.H./Bishop Brady) and Charlie Merry (Kennebunkport, Maine/Kennebunk) came the closest to snagging a victory for the Purple Knights, falling by an 8-5 count at No. 2 doubles. Sophomores Tyler Lucey (Longmeadow, Mass./Longmeadow) and Hayden Steward (Hamilton, Mass./Pingree School) won a pair of games in the third spot, while senior Billy Wood (Wayne, Pa./Home Schooled) and sophomore Ben Lambert (Milford, N.H./Milford) claimed one game at No. 1 against a tandem that is tied for 10th in the regional rankings.

Merry and sophomore Patrick Dietz (Prospect, Conn./Woodland Regional) both captured four games during singles, with Merry falling 6-3, 6-1 in the second position and Dietz dropping a pair of 6-2 sets at No. 4. Steward lost in an eight-game pro-set, 8-2, in the fifth slot, while Wood fell in straight sets at No. 1 to the 12th-ranked player in the region.

The Purple Knights are back in action tomorrow when they host Stonehill College at 12 p.m. at The EDGE.