SALEM, Mass. – The Wentworth Institute of Technology men's tennis team swept doubles play and never looked back as the Leopards downed Salem State, 8-1, in the 2021-22 season opener for both squads. The win was the first for first-year head coach Caitlyn Briggs '18.

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• Graduate student Harrison Maki (Rutland, Vt.) and junior Kevin Shields (East Longmeadow, Mass.) kicked things off with an 8-2 win over sophomore Kevin Merino-Rivas (Billerica, Mass.) and senior Giacomo Graziani (East Boston, Mass.) at No. 3.
• The No. 2 flight saw senior Tyler Hall (Framingham, Mass.) team with freshman Pranav Marwaha (Nashia, N.H.) to take an 8-4 decision over senior Ron Bazile (Brockton, Mass.) and junior Cory Cherico (Winthrop, Mass.).
• The doubles sweep was completed when senior Kevin Salomon (West Newton, Mass.) and sophomore Daniel Gallegos (Monterrey, Mexico) picked up an 8-5 win over senior Andrew Muttiah (Colombo, Sri Lanka) and senior Grant Bellino (Amesbury, Mass.).
• Senior Sam Ferro (Whitman, Mass.) gave the Leopards a 4-0 lead when he defeated Merino-Rivas, 6-1, 6-1, at No. 6, setting the stage for Marwaha to pick up the match-clinching win – his first collegiate singles win – with a 6-1, 6-2 win over Cherico.
• Maki upped Wentworth's lead to 6-0 with a 6-0, 6-2 win over Graziani at No. 4 before the Vikings picked up their lone win of the day at No. 1 as Muttiah defeated Gallegos, 6-2, 6-0, at No. 1.
• Salomon bested Bazile, 7-5, 6-4, at No. 2,while Hall dropped the first set to Bellino, 4-6, before battling back to win, 6-2, 10-3.

NEXT UP:

• Wentworth plays its second and final match of the fall season on Sunday, October 10, at Albertus Magnus.

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