Men's Tennis Storms Past Franklin Pierce, 9-0
Links: Box Score
RINDGE, N.H – The Merrimack College men's tennis team started a stretch of four straight Northeast-10 Conference games away from North Andover with a 9-0 victory over Franklin Pierce University on Wednesday evening.
The Basics
Score: Merrimack 9 | Franklin Pierce 0
Records: Merrimack (4-5, 3-0 NE-10) | Franklin Pierce (0-7, 0-5 NE-10)
Location: Rindge, N.H.
How It Happened
The Warriors began the match with three consecutive wins at doubles. At No. 1, the combination of sophomore Steven Francis (Perth, Australia) and freshman Mikhail Belov (Krasnoarmeyskoy, Russia) defeated their opponents, 8-3. Merrimack won at No. 2-3 by the same 8-3 score as captains Vince Bellino (Amesbury, Mass.)/Miguel Belfort (Caracas, Venezuela) and freshman Frank Vega (Lima, Peru)/sophomore Nick Majewski (Brewster, Mass.) came away victorious at No. 2 and No. 3, respectively.
Singles play brought more of the same for the Navy and Gold. Francis endured the most difficult match at No. 1. The Australian overcame a loss in the opening set to comeback and win the final two frames, 6-1 and 6-4, to take the point for the Warriors.
Bellino, the reigning NE-10 Player of the Week, defeated his opponent in straight sets at No. 4, while Belov, who took home his second Rookie of the Week honor yesterday, defeated his opponent, 6-3 and 6-1, at No. 3.
Majewski made his return to the singles lineup with an 8-2 win at No. 6.
Results
Doubles
1. Steven Francis/Mikhail Belov (MER) def. Jared Taylor/Christopher Brewer (FPU) 8-3
2. Vince Bellino/Miguel Belfort (MER) def. Drew Bennett/Olivier Viel (FPU) 8-4
3. Frank Vega/Nick Majewski (MER) def. Aras Banevicious/Mark Petrie (FPU) 8-4
Singles
1. Steven Francis (MER) def. Christopher Brewer (FPU) 2-6, 6-1, 6-4
2. Miguel Belfort (MER) def. Jared Taylor (FPU) 6-3, 6-1
3. Mikhail Belov (MER) def. Mark Petrie (FPU) 6-3, 6-1
4. Vince Bellino (MER) def. Drew Bennett (FPU) 6-4, 6-2
5. Frank Vega (MER) def. Olivier Viel (FPU) 6-2, 6-1
6. Nick Majewski(MER) def. Aras Banevicious (FPU) 8-2
Up Next
The Warriors travel south to Garden City, N.Y. to meet up with the Adelphi University Panthers for a 3 p.m. contest
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