Box Score NEWPORT, R.I. – Nichols College overcame a 1-3 deficit to earn the Commonwealth Coast Conference Championship with a 5-3 win over the Roger Williams University Men's Tennis team. Nichols earns its fifth straight CCC title with the win.
After uncooperative weather left the RWU courts unplayable, both teams and their contingent of fans made the trek south to the International Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport to crown a conference champion.
The Hawks began the day taking two flights of the three doubles matches. The #1 pairing of
Eric Laboissonniere (Cumberland, R.I.) and
Jonah Schwartz (Orange, Conn.) opened the match by taking down Blake Norton (Stratford, Conn.) and Aidan Stuart (Orange, Conn.) 8-3 at the #1 flight. Nichols came back to tie the match at one apiece by earning an 8-6 win at #3 doubles. Josh Halpern (Secaucus, N.J.) and Jake Zapatka (Wethersfield, Conn.) held off
Andrew Amarone (North Haven, Conn.) and
Nick Spoor (Ballston Spa, N.Y.).
At #2 doubles,
Grant Rosenberg (Melville, N.Y.) and
Fred Clifford (Duxbury, Mass.). rallied from being down 7-8 for a 9-8 (10-8) win over James Smith (Monte Sereno, Calif.) and Igor Markowski (Paris, France) to give the Hawks the edge entering singles play.
Amarone aided the Hawks' cause at #6 singles, pulling off a 6-2, 6-1 win over Stuart to bring RWU within two points of the championship. However, the Bison began to turn the tide, beginning with a 6-2, 6-2 win by Norton at #1 singles over Laboissonniere. Shortly thereafter, Smith followed suit with a 7-5, 6-0 win over Clifford to knot the match at #2 singles.
Zapata gave Nichols the 4-3 lead with a 6-3, 6-2 win at #4 singles to bring the Bison within a point. Markowski logged the championship point for the Bison, taking down Spoor 7-4, 6-2 to give the Bison the CCC title.
Nichols (19-4) will find out their NCAA Tournament opponent on Monday. Roger Williams ends the season at 14-4.
