Men's Tennis Drops 7-2 Decision to UMass Dartmouth

NORTH DARTMOUTH, Mass. – The University of Massachusetts Dartmouth men's tennis team posted a 7-2 Little East Conference win over visiting Bridgewater State University on Friday afternoon at the UMD Tennis Courts.

The Corsairs (4-7) won for the third time in their past four matches to even their conference record at 3-3, while the Bears (2-10) suffered their ninth consecutive setback.  UMass Dartmouth completed its Little East circuit, while Bridgewater State will close its campaign against Salem State (April 26) and Southern Maine (April 27).  The seedings for the six-team 2014 Little East Men's Tennis Championship tournament will be announced by the conference office on Sunday evening.

The Corsairs raced out to an early advantage, winning two of the three doubles matches.  Senior Matt Bejtlich (Rochester, Mass.) and sophomore Daniel Chouinard (Westport, Mass.) cruised to an 8-1 decision at top-flight doubles, while junior Ray Lawton (Fairhaven, Mass.) and sophomore Jake Jaskolka (Mattapoisett, Mass.) posted a 9-7 win at second doubles to hand the hosts a 2-0 lead.  The Bears countered with an 8-3 win at No. 3 doubles with sophomore Michael Mello (Dartmouth, Mass.) and senior Cody Farrell (Scituate, Mass.) combining for the victory.

UMass Dartmouth clinched the conference match by winning five of the six singles flights.  Bejtlich needed the maximum three sets to outlast BSU senior Jesse Gotlib (Dartmouth, Mass.), 6-4, 4-6, 10-8, in a tightly contested match.  Chouinard breezed to a 6-0, 6-2 straight-set win at No. 2 singles, while Lawton posted a 6-2, 6-2 victory at third-flight singles.  The Corsairs also received singles wins by Joskolka at No. 5 and junior Malcolm Neville (Foxboro, Mass.) at No.6.

BSU senior Eric Johnson (Kingston, Mass.) grabbed the Bears' lone singles victory with a 6-1, 6-2 straight set victory at the fourth flight.