The Ithaca College men’s tennis team traveled to Empire 8 conference opponent Stevens Institute of Technology April 22. The Bombers looked for redemption after the two matches in the 2015–2016 season ended in Stevens’s favor.
The South Hill squad and the Ducks battled to remain undefeated in conference play. Unfortunately, the Bombers fell to the Ducks 8–1 and are now 5–1 in conference play and 9–5 overall.
The Ducks got off to an early lead taking two of the three doubles flights.
Freshman Minos Stavrakas and sophomore Michael Gardiner grabbed the only point for the Bombers. Stavrakas and Gardiner defeated Stevens’s first flight doubles pair junior Kyle Henry and senior Antonio Perich 8–6.
Second and third flight doubles were not so successful. Senior Wes Davis and junior Lorenzo Viguie-Ramos fell to junior Danny Polk and senior Michael Feldman at second doubles, 8–5.
Third flight doubles players senior Nate Wolf and freshman Colten Lavery were defeated by junior William Persson and sophomore Divin Sarthak 8–4.
The Blue and Gold headed into singles flights looking to gain some momentum and turn things around, but the Ducks were too strong to overcome.
In many of the first sets of singles play, the South Hill squad failed to put up a fight as the Ducks grabbed easy leads. The Bombers fought back through the second sets, but the Ducks were victorious in those sets.
At second flight singles, Davis fought hard in the first set against Henry, but eventually fell 7–5, 6–2.
First, fourth, fifth and sixth flight singles for the Bombers didn’t put up much of a fight in their first sets. They rallied back in their second sets, some of which led to extra play.
First flight Stavrakas lost to Polk 6–1, 7–6, and fourth flight Lavery was defeated by Charles Drake 6–2, 7–5.
Fifth flight singles freshman Max Prestwich faced Steven’s Feldman and fell 6–2, 7–6
In the sixth flight, sophomore Sam McGrath took on junior David Schulz of the Ducks. McGrath fell to Schulz 6–1, 6–4.
The steadiest overall singles match for the Bombers came from third flight singles Gardiner. He was defeated by Persson in two 6–4 sets.
With one loss in conference play, Ithaca looks to bounce back and win their next match.
The Bombers return to action at 4 p.m. April 25 in Utica, New York, when they take on conference opponent Utica College.
