Men's Tennis Drops Tough 5-4 Decision to Clark

BRIDGEWATER, Mass. – The visiting Clark University men's tennis team held off Bridgewater State University, 5-4, on Wednesday afternoon at the Rosen Memorial Tennis Courts.

The Cougars improve to 2-5 on the season, while the host Bears fall to 3-1. Clark has won each of the last five meetings of the two teams who were facing off for the first time since 2014.

The Cougars swept the three doubles matches to jump out to a 3-0 lead. Senior Max Schweitzer (West Hartford, Conn.) and junior Dariy Vykhodsev (Saco, Maine) teamed up for an 8-3 win at the top flight, while junior Sam Pomann (Piermont, N.Y.) and sophomore Tanner Honnef (Camarillo, Calif.) recorded an 8-4 victory at the second spot. Clark's graduate tandem of Holden Moore (Exeter, N.H.) and Duncan Drapeau (Boothbay, Maine) capped off doubles play with an 8-4 decision at number three.

Drapeau extended the Cougars' lead to 4-0 with a 6-4, 6-0 straight set win at number six singles.

The Bears rallied with straight set wins by senior Kendan Ziegler (Hadley, N.Y.) and classmate Colin Lamusta (Lynnfield, Mass.) at the third and second flights, respectively, to cut the deficit to 4-2. Ziegler cruised to a 6-1, 6-2 decision, while Lamusta won a first set tie-breaker, 7-6 (8-6), before posting a 6-2 decision in the second set.

Graduate student Josh Podolsky (Sudbury, Mass.) secured the decisive fifth point for Clark at the fourth flight as he battled back from a set down to win, 2-6, 6-2, 6-2.

BSU junior Robert Dwyer (Yarmouth Port, Mass.) dropped his opening set before bouncing back with a 3-6, 6-4, 6-2 victory at number five singles.

In the match of the day, BSU senior Jeff Pavao (Somerset, Mass.) and Clark freshman Ryan Hovey (Newburgh, N.Y.) locked up in a tough battle at number one singles. The flight was decided in a third set tie-breaker with Pavao prevailing, 6-4, 2-6, 7-6 (7-5).

In upcoming action, the Bears host Suffolk University tomorrow afternoon at 3:30, while the Cougars open New England Women's & Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) play on Saturday (3:00 PM) at home against Coast Guard Academy.