Providence, R.I.--Senior Matthew Gambardella (West Warwick, RI) became RIC's all-time leader in career points (63.0) as Rhode Island College lost, 8-1, to UMass Boston in a Little East contest played at the RIC Tennis Center on Saturday afternoon to wrap up the 2019 regular season.
THE BASICS
UMass Boston 8, Rhode Island College 1
UMass Boston (11-5, 7-0 LEC)
Rhode Island College (9-4, 5-2 LEC)
HOW IT HAPPENED
• Gambardella, along with seniors Alan Esposito (Clinton, CT) and Chandler Scott (Ashaway, RI), were honored with their families with a Senior Day ceremony prior to the match.
• The Beacons opened the match with an 8-2 win at No. 3 doubles as the UMB tandem comprised of sophomore Alexander Comerchero (Brookline, MA) and junior Onkgopotse Mokoka (Pretoria, South Africa) defeated Gambardella sophomore Ethan Hoy (West Warwick, RI).
• UMB went up, 2-0, as freshman Nandish Shah (Ahmedabad, India) and sophomore Miguel Beltran (Ashland, MA) defeated sophomore Alex Bourque (North Smithfield, RI) and Esposito, 8-2.
• The visitors completed the clean sweep of doubles as senior Ray Plateel (Holbrook, MA) and freshman Roy Plateel (Holbrook, MA) downed Scott and sophomore Mike Shea (Smithfield, RI), 8-3, at second doubles.
• Shah defeated Bourque (6-0, 6-0) at No. 1 singles and Beltran clinched the win with a straight set (6-4, 6-2) victory over Scott at No. 2 singles.
• Gambardella notched his 63rd career point with a (2-6, 6-4, 10-8) win vs. Comerchero at No. 3 doubles to make it a 5-1 match.
• Ray Plateel bested Hoy (6-4, 7-5) at No. 4 singles and junior Trin Tran (Quincy, MA) defeated Esposito (6-2, 6-2) at No. 6 singles.
• Mokoka closed out the win with a (7-6, 6-1) win vs. Shea at No. 5 singles.
WHAT'S NEXT
In upcoming action, Rhode Island College will host a first round match in the 2019 Little East Men's Tennis Championship on Tuesday, April 30.
