BRISTOL, R.I. — The reigning champion and number-two seed Roger Williams University Men's Tennis team began their quest to defend their crown by easily dispatching of in-state rival and seventh-seeded Salve Regina University, 5-0, in the Quarterfinals round of the Commonwealth Coast Conference Tournament at the RWU Tennis Courts on Saturday afternoon. In the five matches that were completed, RWU dropped just five points to advance to the Semifinals and host Endicott College on Wednesday.
With the win, the Hawks improve to 15-2 on the season and advance to the conference semifinals for the 19
th straight season with 2003 being the last time they failed to reach the conference's final four. SRU sees their season conclude with a record of 2-15.
Hawk Highlights
Roger Williams wasted no time burying Salve Regina in doubles play, sweeping the three matches and dropping just four points along the way. In the topflight,
Dan Tocco (East Quogue, N.Y.) and
Jon Trevethan (Berlin, Conn.) maintained their undefeated season in doubles by taking care of Sam Middleton (Lake Grove, N.Y.) and Raimundo Bascunan (Lo Barnechea, Chile), 8-2. The other two matches in doubles action finished in the same score, 8-1, as
Johnny Baldyga (Simsbury, Conn.) and
Ryan Schuck (Glastonbury, Conn.) bested Samuel Johnson (Newington, Conn.) and Riley Kehoe (Wilder, Vt.) in #2 doubles and
Tyler Cain (Montpelier, Vt.) and
Matt Glassman (West Hartford, Conn.) did the same to Alex Colon (Brielle, N.J.) and Jack Cooper (Sandwich, Mass.) in the third flight.
In need of just two more wins in singles to lock up the victory in the first-to-five format, the Hawks got to that mark with little delay. The first to secure a point for RWU was Schuck who shutout Kehoe in the fourth flight, 6-0, 6-1. Tocco followed by putting the finishing touches on the win by beating Colon, 6-0, 6-0 in #2 singles to punch his team's ticket to the quarterfinals. Even if the contest required further action to determine a winner, the hosts had the edge in each of the other singles matches but it was unnecessary as the Hawks advanced by beating Salve Regina, 5-0.
What's Next
Roger Williams will move on and host Endicott College who similarly shutout Western New England, 5-0 in their CCC Quarterfinals contest. The match between the second and third seeded squads will be played on Wednesday, the start time has yet to be announced.
