SPRINGFIELD, Mass., April 25, 2006 – Led by senior captain Justin Freitas, the Springfield College men’s tennis team defeated Babson College, 5-2, in a New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) match this afternoon at SC’s Appleton Courts.

With the win, Springfield is now 4-7 overall and 1-4 in the NEWMAC, while Babson falls to 6-17 overall and 1-4 in the conference. Springfield thus becomes the #5 seed and will play at #4-seeded Coast Guard in the first round of the NEWMAC Tourney on Thursday, April 27 at 3:30 p.m. Babson will be the #6 seed and play at #3-seeded Clark on the same day at the same time.

Wheaton will host the remainder of the NEWMAC Tourney on Saturday, April 29. MIT, the #1 seed, awaits the Springfield at Coast Guard winner. Wheaton, the #2 seed, awaits the Babson at Clark winner.

In today’s match, Springfield captured the doubles team point to take a 1-0 lead. SC took the #2 and #3 doubles matches to do so. The #2 SC doubles team of sophomore Joe Lisi (Southbridge, Mass.) and junior Ethan Clime (Bristol, Maine) won their match, 8-4. The #3 SC doubles team of sophomore Guy Lepore (Bay Shore, N.Y.) and sophomore Dave Keenan (Scarborough, Maine) won by an 8-6 tally. Babson’s #1 team of sophomore Jeremy Stein (Beachwood, Ohio) and sophomore Jason Lynn (Andover, Mass.) won their match, 8-4.

In singles play, Clime gave Springfield a quick 2-0 lead at #4 singles with a 6-0, 6-2 win.

Other singles winners for SC included Freitas, a senior from East Providence, R.I., at #2, Lisi at #3, and freshman Bobby Schlink (Quaker Hill, Conn.) at #6.

Babson’s singles winners included Stein at #1 in a 3-setter (6-3, 2-6, 6-3) over SC freshman Andrew Constant (Kingston, N.Y.), and sophomore Kyle Natichioni (Seneca Falls, N.Y.) at #5 over Lepore.

Springfield 5, Babson 2

The match began with doubles play.

Singles
1) Jeremy Stein (B) def. Andrew Constant (SC), 6-3, 2-6, 6-3
2) Justin Freitas (SC) def. Jason Lynn (B), 6-3, 6-3
3) Joe Lisi (SC) def. Andy Shin (B), 7-6 (4), 6-4
4) Ethan Clime (SC) def. Walt Sea (B), 6-0, 6-2
5) Kyle Natichioni (B) def. Guy Lepore (SC), 6-4, 6-2
6) Bobby Schlink (SC) def. Mike Perkins (B), 6-2, 6-1

Doubles
1) Lynn-Stein (B) def. Constant-Freitas (SC), 8-4
2) Clime-Lisi (SC) def. Natichioni-Shin (B)), 8-4
3) Dave Keenan-Lepore (SC) def. Perkins-Sea (B), 8-6

published: 04/25/2006