April 23, 2009

Third-Seeded Wheaton Shuts Out Number-Six Clark in Opening Round of NEWMAC Men's Tennis Tournament

NORTON, MA- The third-seeded Wheaton College men's tennis team swept doubles play before winning a pair of singles matches en route to a 5-0 victory over sixth seed Clark University during Thursday's opening round of the New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) Tournament on Clark Tennis Courts.

Knocking the Cougars out of a NEWMAC Tournament for the third time since 2001, the Lyons improved to 11-6 while advancing to Saturday's semifinal round to face number-two Babson College at Norton Middle School at 10:30 a.m., as Wheaton is slated to host the remainder of the tourney. Clark finished its season at 4-8.

Junior Kyle Hudgins (Uxbridge, MA/Uxbridge) was the day's lone double winner, posting a 6-1, 6-1 triumph at third singles while joining senior Nii Manfoi Davies (Town & Country, MO/The Principia) for an 8-4 victory in the second doubles slot.

Wheaton's other two doubles wins came when junior James Little (Mount Desert, ME/Mount Desert Island) and freshman Neall Oliver (Portland, ME/Deering) sided for an 8-4 triumph at the top spot and sophomores Harry Altman (Riverdale, NY/The Dwight School) and Brian Krantz (Milford, CT/Joseph A. Foran) teamed up for an 8-3 final at number three.

Sophomore Cullen Garrity (Middletown, MD/Saint James School) notched the Blue and White's fifth point thanks to a 6-1, 6-1 triumph in the sixth singles position. Krantz nearly finished his fifth-singles match, taking the first set by a 6-2 count before leading 5-0 in the second. Altman, Little and Oliver won their first sets before the team clinched the victory.