POMFRET, Conn. – Nichols College remains undefeated in the Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) after defeating the Roger Williams University Men's Tennis team 8-1 in action Saturday afternoon at the Pomfret Tennis Courts.

Junior Brandon Roode (Griswold, Conn.) won both his singles and doubles match.

The Bison lost to Roger Williams 5-4 last season in Bristol, R.I.

Nichols (10-1, 3-0 CCC) jumped out to a 2-1 lead after doubles. The No. 1 doubles team of Roode and graduate student Justin DeLuca (Mashpee, Mass.) won 8-1 over senior Taylor Webster (Bristol, Conn.) and junior Ryan Swanson (West Newbury, Mass.). Sophomore Josh Halpern (Secaucus, N.J.) and freshman James Smith (Monte Sereno, Calif.) were forced to go to a tiebreaker to defeat junior Kyle Bull (Pleasantville, N.Y.) and sophomore Jonah Schwartz (Orange, Conn.) 9-8 (7-4) at No. 3 doubles.
The Hawks' (5-3, 1-1 CCC) only win of the day came at No. 2 doubles. Sophomore Eric Laboissonniere (Cumberland, R.I.) and junior Zack Bussiere (Colchester, Conn.) got the best of freshman Joan Castillo (Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic) and sophomore Carlos De La Cruz (Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic) 8-4.

The Bison swept through singles play without dropping a set. DeLuca defeated Laboissonniere 6-1, 6-2 at No. 1 singles.
At No. 2 singles, Roode controlled the match from start to finish, defeating Bussiere 6-1, 6-0. Castillo went on to win 6-1, 6-0 at No. 3 singles against Webster and De La Cruz took care of Swanson 6-1, 6-4 at No. 4 singles. At No. 5 singles, Halpern defeated Bull 6-1, 6-2.

Freshman Jake Zapatka (Wethersfield, Conn.) closed out the day with a win at No. 6 singles against Schwartz 8-2.
The Bison travel to Holy Cross tomorrow at noon. Roger Williams travels on Monday to take on Western New England at 4:00 p.m.

- Release courtesy of the Nichols College Sports Information Department