Salem, Mass.--Junior Alan Esposito (Clinton, CT) picked up the lone singles win as the Rhode Island College men's tennis team closed out the regular season with a 7-2 loss at Salem State in Little East action on Saturday afternoon. The Anchormen will begin Little East Championship play on Tuesday.
THE BASICS
Salem State 7, Rhode Island College 2
Salem State (11-4, 5-1 LEC)
Rhode Island College (12-4, 3-3 LEC)
HOW IT HAPPENED
• The Vikings took two of three in doubles to build a 2-1 advantage heading into singles play.
• Freshman Andrew Muttiah (Westwood, MA) and senior John Didonato (Newbury, MA) defeated RIC senior Brett Taggart (North Kingstown, RI) and freshman Alex Bourque (North Smithfield, RI), 8-1, at No. 1 doubles.
• RIC freshman Cam Chadwick (Narragansett, RI) and junior Chandler Scott (Ashaway, RI) defeated junior Chen Chen (Lawrence, MA) and freshman Roni Bazile (Brockton, MA), 9-8 (7-3) at No. 2 doubles.
• SSU sophomores Mitchell Dyer (North Attleboro, MA) and Noah Hodgkins (Winthrop, MA) earned an 8-6 win over junior Matt Gambardella (West Warwick, RI) and freshman Ethan Hoy (West Warwick, RI) at No. 3 doubles.
• Muttiah downed Chadwick (6-1, 6-2) at No. 1 singles, while Chen bested Taggart (6-4, 6-1) at No. 2 singles.
• Didnato defeated Bourque (7-5, 6-2) at No. 3 singles and Bazile picked up a (6-2, 7-6 (7-2)) win over Gambardella at No. 4 singles.
• Dyer made it five wins in singles with a (6-2, 6-1) victory over Hoy at No. 5 singles. Esposito salvaged a win (6-4, 6-2) at sixth singles to close out the match.
WHAT'S NEXT
• In upcoming action, Rhode Island College will host a first round match in the 2018 Little East Men's Tennis Championship on Tuesday, May 1.
