Men's Tennis Drops Third Straight, 8-1, vs. Eckerd
ST. PETERSBURG, FLA. – The Merrimack College men's tennis team played in its final match on Tuesday afternoon of a stretch that saw the Warriors play three games over three consecutive days, including back-to-back games against top-15 opponents. The Warriors concluded the run with an 8-1 loss to Eckerd College from the Dick Bullard Courts.
The Basics
Score: Merrimack 1 | Eckerd 8
Records: Merrimack (1-4) | Eckerd (3-4)
Location: Dick Bullard Courts | St. Petersburg, Fla.
How It Happened
The Navy and Gold trotted out the same lineup that they used in its previous game against No. 13 Rollins. Sophomore Steven Francis (Perth, Australia) and freshman Mikhail Belov (Krasnoarmeyskoy, Russia) battled at No. 1 doubles before losing 8-6. The senior/freshman combination of Vince Bellino (Amesbury, Mass.) and Frank Vega (Lima, Peru) dropped No. 2 doubles, 8-4.
The Tritons clinched the match by winning the No. 1-4 of singles action. At No. 1, Francis put up a strong effort before losing in straight sets, 6-4 and 6-3. Vega put forth the best effort of his young career in singles play, winnings his first career set over Frazier Springfield. Vega dropped the match in the final frame in a back-and-forth 7-5 final set.
Junior captain Miguel Belfort (Caracas, Venezuela) won his first singles match of the spring, 8-6, over Eddie Lewis. Merrimack did not participate in No. 3 singles or No. 6 doubles.
Results
Doubles
1. Yosua Adiyasa/Frazier Springfield (ECK) def. Steven Francis/Miguel Belfort (MER) 6-8
2. Stephen Felman/Victor Appelqvist (ECK) def. Vince Bellino/Frank Vega (MER) 4-8
3. Eddie Lewis/Connor Masella (ECK) def. N/A (MER) win by default
Singles
1. Yosua Adiyasa (ECK) def. Steven Francis (MER) 4-6, 3-6
2. Stephen Felman (ECK) def. Miguel Belov (MER) 0-6, 3-6
3. Frazier Springfield (ECK) def. Frank Vega (MER) 1-6, 6-0, 5-7
4. Victor Appelqvist (ECK) def. Vince Bellino (MER) 4-8
5. Miguel Belfort (MER) def. Eddie Lewis (ECK) 8-6
6. Connor Masella (ECK) def. N/A (MER) win by default
Up Next
The Navy and Gold return home on Sunday afternoon for a regional matchup with the University of the District of Columbia on Sunday at 2 p.m. from the Northeast Tennis Center in Middleton, Mass.
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