ONEONTA, NY - Hartwick secured a spot in the upcoming Empire 8 Tournament Wednesday with a 7-2 win over Utica College. With the victory, the Hawks improve to 7-7 overall, 5-3 in the Empire 8, and nail down the fourth seed and a date with top-seeded Ithaca on May 2nd in Rochester. It also marks the first time since 2004 a Hartwick College men's tennis team has reached the E8 semifinals.
The Pioneers would not go quietly on the afternoon as they took a 2-1 lead after doubles play. The freshmen duo of Marcelo Navarro (San Juan, Puerto Rico) and Jeff Boyd (West Newbury, MA) made quick work of UC's Khoa Vo and Tom Armitage, 8-1, for 'Wick's lone doubles win. Junior Matt Whitty (St. Catherines, ON) and freshman Peter Dumas (Albany, NY) came close to giving the Blue and White a 2-1 edge, but UC's second doubles team outlasted them in a tie-breaker 9-8 (7-2).
Boyd disposed of Vo in first singles to quickly get the game count back to 2-2. It was also his sixth win of the season. The Hawks would then win the last five singles matches to claim the team victory.
Navarro, sophomore Sean Barr (Scarsdale, NY), and freshmen Peter Dumas (Albany, NY), and Mike del Rosario (Troy, NY) each downed their Pioneer opponents in straight sets. Navarro, who moved to 9-5, had a difficult time with UC's Kaleta in the early going but managed to squeeze out the first set, 7-6 (7-4). He would cruise in the second set, 6-2. Barr rolled to his eighth victory, 6-2, 6-2, and Dumas lost just two games to Gonzalo Salouia in a 6-1, 6-1 victory. Del Rosario won for the fifth time at sixth singles, 7-5, 6-1, defeating Armitage.
Whitty was the only Hawk needing three sets. He took set number one from Gonzalo Carrascal, 6-1. Carrascal came back to take the second set in a tie-breaker, 7-1, setting the stage for a third and deciding set. Whitty would come through to claim his fifth singles win, 10-5, in a tie-breaker wrapping up the day for 'Wick.
The Hawks travel to RPI on Tuesday, Apr. 28 in their final tune-up before the Empire 8 playoff matchup with the first-place Bombers.
Hartwick 7, Utica College 2
Apr 22, 2009
at Oneonta, NY (Hartwick Courts)
Singles competition
1. Jeff Boyd (HC) def. Khoa Vo (UTICA) 6-0, 6-0
2. Marcelo Navarro (HC) def. Shaun Kaleta (UTICA) 7-6 (7-4), 6-2
3. Matt Whitty (HC) def. Gonzalo Carrascal (UTICA) 6-1, 6-7 (1-7), 10-5
4. Sean Barr (HC) def. Thien Doan (UTICA) 6-2, 6-2
5. Peter Dumas (HC) def. Gonzalo Salouia (UTICA) 6-1, 6-1
6. Michael del Rosario (HC) def. Tom Armitage (UTICA) 7-5, 6-1
Doubles competition
1. Jeff Boyd/Marcelo Navarro (HC) def. Khoa Vo/Tom Armitage (UTICA) 8-1
2. Thien Doan/Shaun Kaleta (UTICA) def. Matt Whitty/Peter Dumas (HC) 9-8 (7-2)
3. Gonzalo Salouia/Gonzalo Carrascal (UTICA) def. Sean Barr/Michael del Rosario (HC) 8-3
Match Notes
Utica College 1-6, 1-5 E8
Hartwick 7-7, 5-3 E8
