Men's Tennis Edged by Wentworth in Season Opener, 5-4

BRIDGEWATER, Mass. -- The visiting Wentworth men's tennis team edged Bridgewater State University, 5-4, on Friday afternoon at the Rosen Memorial Tennis Courts.

The match marked the season opener for host Bears (0-1). The visiting Leopards improve to 2-7 as they snapped a seven-match losing streak.

Wentworth swept the three doubles flights and earned wins at #1 and #3 to come away with the win.

Junior Daniel Gallegos (Monterry, Mexico) and freshman Rene Rodriguez (Doral, Fla.) teamed up for an 8-0 triumph at the top doubles flight, while freshmen Eric Doraci (Natick, Mass.) and Thomas Kot (Farmington, Conn.) recorded an 8-5 decision at number three. The Leopards' #2 pairing of sophomore Pranav Marwaha (Nashua, N.H.) and senior Kevin Shields (East Longmeadow, Mass.) outlasted the Bears' tandem of graduate Sean Nutter (Mattapoisett, Mass.) and freshman Adam Beatrice (Rockland, Mass.), 8-7 (7-2).

Gallegos cruised to a 6-1, 6-1 straight set win at number one singles to increase the Wentworth lead to 4-0. Rodriguez then earned the decisive fifth point with a 6-4, 6-0 straight set triumph at the third flight.

Bridgewater State closed out the match with victories by Nutter at second singles, sophomore Matthew Krampf (Littleton, Mass.) at number five, senior Charles Fiske (Taunton, Mass.) at fourth singles and freshman Tyler Barros (Somerset, Mass.) at the sixth spot. Nutter (6-4, 6-1) and Krampf (6-3, 6-3) both won in straight sets, while Fiske split the first two sets, 6-4, 2-6, before notching a 10-5 decision in the super tiebreaker. Barros battled back from a set down to win in a super tiebreaker, 2-6, 6-4, 10-3. Krampf and Barros each recorded their first collegiate wins.

In upcoming action, the Bears host Suffolk University next Thursday afternoon at 3:30 while the Leopards entertain Endicott College on Saturday afternoon at 4:30.