Box Score
BRISTOL, R.I. – The Roger Williams University Men's Tennis team avenged last season's Commonwealth Coast Conference Championship match with a 5-4 victory over Nichols College Wednesday afternoon.
The Hawks rallied from a 2-1 deficit after doubles. RWU's Zack Bussiere (Colchester, Conn.) and Eric Laboissionniere (Cumberland, R.I.) defeated Dan Roman (Tolland, Conn.) and Paul Healy (Pomfret, Conn.) 8-0 at 3 to put RWU up 1-0.
However the Bison came back to take #1 and #2, beginning with an 8-5 win by Brandon Roode (Griswold, Conn.) and Carlos De La Cruz (Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic) at #1 over Ryan Swanson (West Newbury, Mass.) and Jonah Schwartz (Orange, Conn.). Nichols' Justin DeLuca (Mashpee, Mass.) and David Drucker (Bellmore, N.Y.) notched an 8-6 victory over Kevin Erikson (Tolland, Conn.) and Jason Pacino (North Reading, Mass.) at #1 for the lead.
At singles, Swanson tied the match at two apiece with a 6-0, 6-0 win at #5 over Roman. DeLuca regained the lead for Nichols with a 6-2, 6-0 win over Erikson at #2.
Kyle Bull (Pleasantville, Mass.) knotted the match again at three, defeating Healy 6-2, 6-2 at #6, followed by Bussiere's 6-2, 4-6, 6-4 victory at #1 over Roode, who entered the match ranked 15th regionally. Drucker came back with a 2-6, 7-6 (7-3), 6-3 comeback at #3 over Taylor Webster (Bristol, Conn.) to tie the match again at four and in the process claim his 55th career singles victory and setting a school record for the Bison.
Laboissionniere would come up with the clinching match, coming back from a 1-6 loss in the opening set with 6-1 and 7-5 wins to defeat De La Cruz at #4 and claim the match for the Hawks.
Roger Williams (7-5, 4-0 CCC) travels to Curry on Saturday, while Nichols (10-5, 3-1 CCC), ranked #18 regionally, will head to Gordon on Saturday.
Tennis Match Results
Nichols vs Roger Williams
04/10/13 at Bristol, R.I.
(RWU Tennis Courts)
Roger Williams 5, Nichols 4
Singles competition
1. Zack Bussiere (RWU) def. Brandon Roode (NC) 6-2, 4-6, 6-4
2. Justin DeLuca (NC) def. Kevin Erikson (RWU) 6-2, 6-0
3. David Drucker (NC) def. Taylor Webster (RWU) 2-6, 7-6 (7-3), 6-3
4. Eric Laboissonniere (RWU) def. Carlos De La Cruz (NC) 1-6, 6-1, 7-5
5. Ryan Swanson (RWU) def. Dan Roman (NC) 6-0, 6-0
6. Kyle Bull (RWU) def. Paul Healy (NC) 6-2, 6-2
Doubles competition
1. Justin DeLuca/David Drucker (NC) def. Kevin Erikson/Jason Pacino (RWU) 8-6
2. Carlos De La Cruz/Brandon Roode (NC) def. Jonah Schwartz/Ryan Swanson (RWU) 8-5
3. Zack Bussiere/Eric Laboissonniere (RWU) def. Paul Healy/Dan Roman (NC) 8-0
Match Notes:
Nichols 10-5, 3-1 CCC
Roger Williams 7-5, 4-0 CCC
Order of finish: Doubles (3,2,1); Singles (5,2,6,1,3,4)
