DUDLEY, Mass. (April 29) – The third-seeded Salve Regina University men’s tennis team booked its 10th-straight trip to the The Commonwealth Coast Conference finals with a 5-4 upset win over second-seeded Nichols Thursday afternoon at the Francis W. Robinson Courts. A three-set marathon victory at No. 2 singles by senior Steve Masso gave the Seahawks their eighth-straight victory on the season to improve to 12-10 overall. They will face top-seeded Roger Williams Saturday at 11 a.m. in Bristol, R.I. for the TCCC title. Nichols sees its record-setting season come to a close at 17-6.
Masso and Nichols first year David Drucker (Bellmore, N.Y.) battled long into a third set as the sun was setting over the trees. Drucker won the first, 6-4, before Masso took the second, 6-2. In the third set, each broke serve right away and then battled to a 7-5 win in favor of Masso.
Salve Regina led, 2-1, after doubles play with wins at the first and third flights, including a quick 8-0 victory at No. 1 singles courtesy of Masso and classmate Andrew Martin. Nichols sophomore Steve Carella (Rocky Hill, Conn.) and first year Tony Ramsdell (Gardner, Mass.) got the Bison on the board with an 8-6 win at the second flight.
Nichols sophomore Eliot Wuhrmann (Fontainbleau, France) was the first to finish on the singles side with a 6-2, 7-5 win at No. 6 singles over Brian Castrichini, but the Seahawks won the next two to go up, 4-2.
Sophomore Zachary Rosenfeld dealt Tyler McLaughlin (Hollis, N.H.) a 6-3, 6-3 loss at the fourth flight and classmate Chad Strong remained undefeated on the year with a 6-2, 6-2 victory over Carella at third singles.
TCCC Player and Rookie of the Year Justin DeLuca (Mashpee, Mass.) finished off Martin at No. 1 singles, 6-0, 6-4, to bring the Bison within one, leaving the fifth and second flights on the courts as the lights came on. DeLuca finished the year with a 21-0 ledger, a program record.
Nichols first year Dan Young (Washington Depot, Conn.) tied up the match with a lengthy 6-4, 7-5 win over freshman Aaron Isch at No. 5 singles, his 12th victory in a row.
Nichols set the program record for wins in a season and advanced to the TCCC semifinals for the first time since 2004.
#3 Salve Regina 5, #2 Nichols 4
4/29/10 at Dudley, Mass. (Francis W. Robinson Courts)
Singles competition
1. Justin DeLuca (NC) def. Andrew Martin (SRU) 6-0, 6-4
2. Steve Masso (SRU) def. David Drucker (NC) 4-6, 6-2, 7-5
3. Chad Strong (SRU) def. Steve Carella (NC) 6-2, 6-2
4. Zachary Rosenfeld (SRU) def. Tyler McLaughlin (NC) 6-3, 6-3
5. Daniel Young (NC) def. Aaron Isch (SRU) 6-4, 7-5
6. Eliot Wuhrmann (NC) def. Brian Castrichini (SRU) 6-2, 7-5
Doubles competition
1. Andrew Martin/Steve Masso (SRU) def. Justin DeLuca/Tyler McLaughlin (NC) 8-0
2. Steve Carella/Tony Ramsdell (NC) def. Chad Strong/Zachary Rosenfeld (SRU) 8-6
3. Aaron Isch/Brian Castrichini (SRU) def. David Drucker/Eliot Wuhrmann (NC) 8-4
Match Notes
#3 Salve Regina 12-10, 8-3
#2 Nichols 17-6, 10-1
Order of finish: Doubles (1,3,2); Singles (6,4,3,1,5,2)
TCCC Semifinals
Salve Regina will face #1 Roger Williams Saturday for TCCC Championship