PROVIDENCE, R.I. – The Rhode Island College men's tennis team built on a 2-1 lead after doubles play to defeat Wentworth Institute of Technology, 6-3, in non-conference action Tuesday afternoon.
The Anchormen emerged victorious in their season opener while the Leopards fell to 1-6 on the season.
Rhode Island College got on the board first with senior Matthew Gambardella (West Warwick, R.I.) teaming with sophomore Ethan Hoy (West Warwick, R.I.) to take an 8-2 win over Wentworth freshman Samuel Ferro (Whitman, Mass.) and sophomore Andrew Farrell (Monmouth Beach, N.J.), 8-2, at No. 3 doubles. The hosts increased their lead to 2-0 when senior Chandler Scott (Ashaway, R.I.) and sophomore Mike Shea (Greenville, R.I.) defeated junior Mun Chet (Braintree, Mass.) and sophomore Harrison Maki (Rutland, Mass.), 8-3, at No. 2 doubles. Wentworth claimed its lone point in doubles when junior Alex Mularski (Auburn, Mass.) teamed with sophomore Tyler Hall (Framingham, Mass.) to defeat sophomore Alex Bourque (North Smithfield, R.I.) and senior Alan Esposito (Clinton, Conn.).
Shea defeated Chet, 6-1, 6-2, at No. 5 singles to make it 3-1 before Esposito bested sophomore Matt Roberts (Westfield, Mass.), 6-1, 6-3, at No. 6. Hoy provided the match-clinching point with a 6-2, 6-2 win over Maki at No. 4. Sophomore Jarrett North (Roanoke, Texas) dropped the first set to Scott, 2-6, before rebounding to claim the second set, 6-1, and win the tiebreaking set, 10-7. Gambardella defeated Mularski, 6-7 (5-7), 6-3, 10-3, at No. 3, while Hall won at No. 1, 6-4, 7-6 (7-4).
Wentworth is at Suffolk on Thursday afternoon.
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