HOOKSETT, N.H. - In a season-opening match-up of regionally-ranked foes, the Saint Michael's College men's tennis team lost to defending Northeast-10 Conference Championship titlist Southern New Hampshire University, 6-1, on Wednesday evening at the Ouellette Stadium Tennis Courts. The final score belied the competitive nature of the match, with all three doubles contests decided by one break and three singles matches going three sets.
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The Purple Knights were ninth in the latest Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) East Region poll, while the fifth-ranked Penmen qualified for the past two NCAA Tournaments.
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RECORDS
- Saint Michael's (0-1, 0-1 NE10), Southern New Hampshire (1-0, 1-0 NE10)
LEADERS
- First-year Garrett Brooker (Charleston, S.C./Oceanside Collegiate Academy), 1 win
THE ACTION
- Brooker and senior Jackson Moser (Missouri City, Texas/Ridge Point) opened doubles play with a 6-4 loss in the third spot. Senior Tristian Du Plessis (Rustenburg, South Africa/Hoërskool Waterkloof/Wallace State CC) and sophomore Mathis Billman (Brandon, Miss./South Carolina Connection Academy) suffered a 7-5 setback at No. 2, allowing the Penmen to claim the doubles point.
- Junior Sergio Barroso (Madrid, Spain/Colegio Montpellier) and sophomore Julius van den Broek (Bergschenhoek, The Netherlands/Wolfert Lyceum) sided for a 6-4 loss at No. 1 in van den Broek's first career doubles match in the top spot.
- Moser started singles with a loss at No. 1 to the second-ranked player in the region, and first-year Jack Li (San Diego, Calif./San Marcos) debuted with a 6-2, 6-2 setback in the second spot to the East's 12th-ranked player.
- Barroso lost a 6-2, 3-6, 6-2 contest at No. 3, giving Southern New Hampshire its clinching fourth point.
- Billman was downed twice in set tiebreakers at No. 5, 7-6 (7-5), 7-6 (7-4), before van den Broek suffered a 5-7, 6-3, 6-3 defeat in the fourth position.
- Brooker completed play with a 7-6 (7-4), 1-6, 7-5 win at No. 6, overcoming a 4-0 deficit in the third set.
NEXT SAINT MICHAEL'S MATCH
- Saturday at Connecticut College Invitational, 9 a.m.
