Links: Box Score
WALTHAM, Mass. – The Merrimack College men's tennis program dominated at doubles, and proceeded to split the ensuing six singles matches including a victory-clinching three-set win for junior
Alex Fedorov at third singles that garnered the Warriors a 4-3 Northeast-10 Conference victory over Bentley University at the Rieger Tennis Courts Tuesday. The triumph also gave Fedorov his 100
th career win as a member of the Warriors.
Merrimack won its 15
th match of the season and improved to 7-0 in NE10 play with the victory. The Warriors posted their first 15-win campaign since 2012-13, and equaled that season as the third-most victories in a single year in program history. The program's winning streak extended to eight straight matches, as well, the Warriors' longest since an 11-game streak six years ago.
The Basics
Score: Merrimack 7, Bentley 0
Records: Merrimack (15-6, 7-0 NE10) | Bentley (15-7, 7-2 NE10)
Location: Waltham, Mass. | Rieger Tennis Courts
Results
Doubles
Singles
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1. Dylan Granat (BEN) def. Denis Davydov (MERM) 6-3, 7-5 |
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2. Jonathan Garcia (MERM) def. Daniel Weitz (BEN) 7-5, 2-6, 6-2 |
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3. Alex Fedorov (MERM) def. Michael Fuca (BEN) 2-6, 7-6, 6-1 |
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4. Connor Aulson (BEN) def. Conrad Koch (MERM) 6-3, 4-6, 7-5 |
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5. A. Mackay Rodriguez (MERM) def. Kendall Au (BEN) 7-6, 4-6, 6-2 |
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6. Mauricio Fadul Rubod (BEN) def. Andre Singer (MERM) 6-4, 6-3 |
Rapid Recap
- All three doubles matches finished with 6-2 margins, and all went in favor of the visitors. The three matches all finished in order of flight as junior Denis Davydov and freshman Conrad Koch picked up the days first point, 6-2, at the top flight. Fedorov and partner Jonathan Garcia gave Merrimack the doubles point at No. 2, and their victory was quickly followed by another triumph at third doubles by the freshmen duo of Alec Mackay Rodriguez and Marshall Wood
- Sixth singles finished first, with the Falcons winning a two-set match to tie the contest. Bentley then took a 2-1 lead as Davydov suffered his first defeat at No. 1 singles in league play at the top spot
- Garcia – Merrimack's four-time NE10 Rookie of the Week – brought the contest back even. The Dublin, Ireland native won his opener, 7-5, before faltering in the second set. He responded strongly in the third, winning six of eight games to emerge victorious at second singles.
- More three-set matches ensued at fourth and fifth singles, with the Falcons and Warriors winning once each. Bentley picked up a win at No. 4, but Mackay Rodriguez notched a victory at No. 5, 7-6, 4-6 and 6-2, to even the contest at three-all
- Fedorov bounced back at third singles to keep Merrimack's perfect league record intact. After dropping his first set, the third-year Warrior fought to win his second set in a tiebreak, 7-6 (5), to force a winner-take-all third set. The Guilderland, N.Y. dominated there, winning in 6-1 fashion to end the match
Up Next
Merrimack's next scheduled match is on Saturday at 11 a.m. at Franklin Pierce in Rindge, N.H. Between now and then, it is expected that the Warriors will play Southern New Hampshire in a rematch of last year's NE10 Championship match. An updated match time and location will be released as soon as it is known.
