AMHERST, Mass. – The Roger Williams University Men's Tennis team advanced to the second round of the NCAA Division III Men's Tennis Championship with a 5-1 win over UMass-Dartmouth Friday morning at regional host site Amherst College. The Hawks improve to 18-6 and will take on Amherst Saturday at 9 a.m., while the Corsairs end their season at 11-1.

Roger Williams took a 1-0 lead when Jeff DeNunzio (Barrington, R.I.) and Dan Kleitz (Wethersfield, Conn.) teamed up for an 8-4 win in the No. 1 doubles match. The remaining doubles matches would go down to the wire, with Nicholas Hawvermale (Bethlehem, Conn.) and Jason Pacino (North Reading, Mass.) giving the Hawks a 2-0 lead with a 9-7 victory at No. 3. The Corsairs salvaged a point when Matt Bejtlich and Mike Parker came out on the winning end of a 9-8 (7-5) result at No. 2.

Taylor Webster (Bristol, Conn.) was the first to finish in singles, as he gave the Hawks a 3-1 lead with a 6-1, 6-3 win at number six. Spencer Withington (Plymouth, Mass.) soon followed with a 6-3, 6-1 victory at number five, and Kleitz sealed the win by holding serve to defeat Parker at number three, 6-2, 6-3. UMass-Dartmouth was leading the remaining three singles matches when play was stopped.

Roger Williams increased its winning streak to 13 matches. Saturday will mark the Hawks' second encounter with Amherst in the NCAA Tournament, as the Lord Jeffs earned a 5-0 win in the 2009 second round. Entering the tournament as the only unbeaten team in the field, UMass-Dartmouth ends its season as champions of the Little East.

- Release courtesy of the Amherst College Sports Information Department

Tennis Match Results

UMass-Dartmouth vs Roger Williams

05/13/11 at Amherst, Mass.

Roger Williams 5, UMass-Dartmouth 1

Singles competition:

1. Jeff DeNunzio (RWU) vs. Karsten Rathlev (UMD) 2-6, 2-3, unfinished

2. Kevin Erikson (RWU) vs. Brennan Dugas (UMD) 5-7, 1-2, unfinished

3. Dan Kleitz (RWU) def. Mike Parker (UMD) 6-2, 6-3

4. Jason Pacino (RWU) vs. Matt Bejtlich (UMD) 4-6, 3-2, unfinished

5. Spencer Withington (RWU) def. Brian Lui (UMD) 6-3, 6-1

6. Taylor Webster (RWU) def. Taha Souayah (UMD) 6-1, 6-3

Doubles competition:

1. Jeff DeNunzio/Dan Kleitz (RWU) def. Brennan Dugas/Karsten Rathlev (UMD) 8-4

2. Matt Bejtlich/Mike Parker (UMD) def. Kevin Erikson/Spencer Withington (RWU) 9-8 (7-5)

3. Nicholas Hawvermale/Jason Pacino (RWU) def. Mike Giaquinto/Brian Lui (UMD) 9-7

Match Notes:

UMass-Dartmouth 11-1

Roger Williams 18-6

Order of finish: Doubles (1,3,2); Singles (6,5,3)

NCAA Division III Men's Tennis Regional Championship First Round

Roger Williams vs. UMass-Dartmouth

Roger Williams advances to play Amherst College on Saturday