FLUSHING, N.Y. - Senior Josh Weiss (Pittsford, N.Y./Pittsford Mendon) downed the region's fourth-ranked player during the Saint Michael's College men's tennis team's 5-2 loss to 36th-ranked Queens College on Sunday in the Queens Tennis Bubble. The Purple Knights were 10th in the latest Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) East Region Poll, while the Knights qualified for the past 20 NCAA Tournaments. Queens' national ranking is according to the ITA, and it stands third in the East Region poll.

RECORDS

• Saint Michael's (0-4), Queens (1-1)

SAINT MICHAEL'S LEADERS

• Weiss, 1 win
• First-year Julius van den Broek (Bergschenhoek, The Netherlands/Wolfert Lyceum), 1 win

MATCH FACTS

• The teams met for the first time.
• Weiss downed a regional standout for the second straight season, having defeated Le Moyne College's Tom Jarry, who was 28th in the nation and first in the East according to the ITA, in three sets last Feb. 6.

THE ACTION

• Queens took the opening doubles point, with Weiss and senior Seb Tonini (Derry, N.H./Pinkerton Academy) having the closest decision, losing just 6-4 at No. 3. Junior Tristian Du Plessis (Rustenburg, South Africa/Hoërskool Waterkloof/Wallace State CC) and first-year Simon Lundholm (Le Luc, France/CNED) were downed by a 6-1 count in the second spot.
• At No. 1 doubles, senior Jason Boucher (Bedford, N.H./Bedford) and junior Jackson Moser (Missouri City, Texas/Ridge Point) fell against a duo that was runner-up at last month's ITA East Regional Championship before advancing as far as the national quarterfinals last week at the ITA Cup.
• The Knights clinched the match with four straight wins to begin singles play. First-year Mathis Billman (Brandon, Miss./South Carolina Connections Academy) lost 6-2, 6-2 at No. 4 to a Knight who was seeded 15th in the ITA regional, Boucher was defeated 6-4, 6-2 in the third spot against the 29th seed from regionals, and Moser fell 6-3, 6-1 at No. 1 to a player who was East Regional runner-up and improved to 9-2 this season.
• Du Plessis won his opening set at No. 5 before suffering a 3-6, 7-5, 10-7 setback to the 27th seed at regionals.
• Playing in the second position, Weiss rallied for a 4-6, 7-6 (8-6), 10-7 triumph over senior Kareem Rashad, the 2022 East Coast Conference (ECC) Co-Player of the Year. Rashad was ranked fourth in the latest ITA East Region poll and had been seeded fifth at September's regionals, advancing to the quarterfinals before losing to the top seed in a third-set super tiebreaker.
• Van den Broek capped the match by also rallying for victory, 4-6, 6-3, 11-9 at No. 6. His foe had earned the No. 19 seed at regionals before losing to the eventual champion in the round of 32.

NEXT SAINT MICHAEL'S MATCH

• Feb. 4 at No. 23 Brandeis University, 11 a.m.
• The Judges' national ranking is according to the latest ITA Division III national poll.