Men's Tennis Earns Share of First-Ever NE10 Title, Downs Stonehill 7-2
NORTH ANDOVER, Mass.- The Merrimack men's tennis team claimed a share of its first-ever Northeast-10 Conference regular season crown with a 7-2 victory over Stonehill Thursday afternoon. The Warriors improves to 16-3 overall and 10-0 in the league. The Skyhawks slope to 11-7 on the year with a 6-4 mark in the conference.
Merrimack captured two doubles victories t own a slight 2-1 lead heading into singles action. Max Eppley (Malaga, Spain) and Chris Barnhart (Longmeadow, Mass.) edged Stonehill's Nick Hyzak and Tim Fayed 8-6 at the No. 1 position. Petar Golijanin (Novi Sad, Serbia) and Liam Hoare (West Newbury, Mass.) picked up an 8-3 win at the No. 3 slot.
The Warriors won five of six singles matches to seal the program-best 16th victory of the year. Barnhart triumphed over Fayed at the No. 1 singles spot with a 3-6, 6-3, 6-0 win. Eppley downed Jonathan Burke 6-2, 6-0 at the No. 2 position.
After dropping the first set 6-4, Golijanin muscled out 6-0, 6-1 victories in the second and third frames at the No. 3 slot. Tim McHugh (Edgartown, Mass.) defeated Hyzak 6-0, 6-3 in the fifth singles match. Chris Toegemann (Narragansett, R.I.) prevailed 6-3, 7-5 at the No. 6 position.
Merrimack eyes perfect finish to the 2010-11 Northeast-10 schedule as it hosts Bentley April 16.
RESULTS
Doubles
1. Max Eppley/ Chris Barnhart (MC)Nick Hyzak/Tim Fayed(Sto) 8-6
2. Chris Martin/aaron Bergeron (sto)Def. Tim McHugh / Chris Toegemann (MC) 9-7
3. Petar Golijanin/Liam Hoare (MC) def. Cameron Smith/Brett Armstrong (Sto) 8-3
Singles
1. Chris Barnhart (MC) def. Tim Fayed (Sto) 3-6, 6-3, 6-0
2. Max Eppley (MC) def. Jon Burke (sto) 6-2, 6-0
3. Petar Golijanin (MC) def. Chris Martin (LEM) 4-6, 6-0, 6-1
4. Aaron Bergeron (Sto) def Liam Hoare (MC) 6-1, 6-2
5. Tim McHugh (MC) def. Nick Hyzak (Sto) 6-0, 6-3
6. Chris Toegemann (MC) def. Brett Armstrong (Sto) 6-3, 7-5
