COLCHESTER, Vt. - The Saint Michael's College men's tennis team nearly upset regionally-ranked Franklin Pierce University, a 2021 NCAA Tournament qualifier and the defending Northeast-10 Conference Championship runner-up, before losing a 4-3 decision on Saturday in the Tarrant Recreation Center. The Ravens were fourth in the latest Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) East Region poll and returned nearly their entire lineup from 2021.

RECORDS

• Saint Michael's (4-8, 0-3 NE10), Franklin Pierce (4-4, 1-0 NE10)

SAINT MICHAEL'S LEADERS

• Junior Jason Boucher (Bedford, N.H./Bedford), 2 wins
• First-year Sergio Barroso (Madrid, Spain/Colegio Montpellier), 2 wins
• Junior Seb Tonini (Derry, N.H./Pinkerton Academy), 1 win
• Junior Josh Weiss (Pittsford, N.Y./Pittsford Mendon), 1 win

MATCH FACTS

• Five of Franklin Pierce's singles regulars, including its top three, returned from last spring's NCAA team, as four Ravens who landed NE10 All-Conference laurels in either singles or doubles remain on the squad.
• Saint Michael's played the middle match of a three-outing run against regionally-ranked foes.

THE ACTION

• Tonini and Weiss breezed to a 6-1 victory at No. 3 doubles before senior Michael Rosen (Andover, Mass./Andover/Saint Anselm) and sophomore Jackson Moser (Missouri City, Texas/Ridge Point) lost a 6-4 decision in the top spot.
• With the doubles point hanging in the balance, Barroso and Boucher nabbed a 7-5 triumph in the second position.
• Boucher started singles with a 6-0, 7-5 win in the fourth spot before Barroso finished off a 6-4, 7-6 (7-1) win at No. 3 against the reigning NE10 Rookie of the Year, also the 15th-ranked player in the ITA East Region and a 2021 NE10 All-Conference first team singles qualifier.
• That victory gave Saint Michael's a 3-0 lead, within one win of clinching the team decision.
• Moser won his opening set against the sixth-ranked singles player in the East before losing a 3-6, 6-4, 7-5 contest at No. 1.
• Against a 2021 NE10 All-Conference first team pick, Weiss rallied to force a third set in the second position before falling by a 7-5, 5-7, 6-3 count.
• Rosen followed suit at No. 5 but lost a 6-3, 4-6, 6-4 outing, as the Ravens forced the tie.
• First-year Stefan Barré's (Winnipeg, Manitoba/Glenlawn Collegiate) match in the sixth position ended up deciding the team result. The rookie came back from one set down before taking his opponent to a third-set tiebreaker, ultimately suffering a 6-1, 4-6, 7-6 (7-2) defeat.

NEXT SAINT MICHAEL'S MATCH

• Wednesday vs. Southern New Hampshire University, 3 p.m.
• The Penmen were sixth in the latest ITA East Region poll.