BRISTOL, R.I. – The top-seeded Roger Williams University Men's Tennis team was able to complete a task they haven't completed since the 2020-21 season, and take home a conference championship, defeating the Bison of Nichols College, 4-0, in the Conference of New England (CNE) Championship.
Roger Williams earned the opening point in doubles play, winning two of the three matches. Bronson DeSisto (Las Vegas, Nev.) and Ryan Carroll (Holden, Mass.) were first off the court with a 6–2 win at No. 1 doubles. Camden Poitras (Londonderry, N.H.) and Will Hurlbut (Marion, Mass.) followed at No. 2 with a strong performance, before Iker Rodriguez Alcocer (Nuacalpan de Juarez, Mexico) and Tucker Taylor (Gonzales, Texas) capped doubles play with a 7–6 (7–4) victory at No. 3. With the doubles point secured, the Hawks took a 1–0 lead into singles.
Holding a 1–0 lead, the Hawks carried momentum into singles play and quickly took control. Poitras was first off the court with a convincing straight-set win (6-1, 6-4) at No. 4 singles to extend the lead to 2–0.
Hurlbut followed with another point coming back in the opening set for a win by tiebreaker at No. 6 singles, 7-6 (7-2), 6-1, pushing the advantage to 3–0 and putting Roger Williams on the brink of the championship.
The clinching point came from Om Seth (Lincoln, R.I.) came shortly after, as the Hawks secured their fourth win to seal the 4–0 victory and the conference title with a 4-6, 6-1, 6-1 victory by the first-year.
The win marks the first time that the Hawks have earned the title in a shortened campaign, posting a 5-0 record in pod play. This is the first conference title for the Hawks in a full season since the 2010-11 campaign, with Nichols earning the title in 13 of the previous 14 seasons, with the exception of the pod season.
Roger Williams (18-5, 10-1 CNE) earned the CNE's automatic bid to the NCAA Division III National Tournament and will await the draw, which takes place on Monday, May 4 at 12:30 pm.
