Men's Tennis Outlasts WNEC, 4-3, in Home-Opener
SPRINGFIELD, Mass., March 28, 2006 – Ethan Clime outlasted Jason Lee at #3 singles to provide the decisive point in leading the Springfield College men’s tennis team to a close 4-3 victory over cross-town rival Western New England College this afternoon at SC’s Appleton Courts.
With the win, Springfield is now 2-1, while Western New England falls to 4-3.
Clime was ahead 6-4, 5-2 in the second set when Lee, a freshman from Scarsdale, N.Y., staged a tremendous comeback, forcing a tie-breaker and winning the tie-breaker 7-5. That prolonged the team match. A junior from Bristol, Maine, Clime then righted the ship and raced through to a 6-1 victory in the third set, giving Springfield the 4-3 team win three hours and 40 minutes after the match began.
WNEC took a 1-0 lead, winning two of the three doubles matches. That too was close, with the Golden Bears’ freshman Connor Fallon (Springfield, Mass.) and senior Greg Kelly (Pembroke, Mass.) winning 9-8 in a tie-break at No. 3 doubles.
When singles play began, SC freshman Andrew Constant (Kingston, N.Y.) at No. 1 singles and senior Justin Freitas (Providence, R.I.) at No. 2 singles gave Springfield a quick 2-1 lead, winning their matches in straight-sets.
But everything else went three sets beyond that. WNEC freshman Alex Boutin (Bristol, Conn.) tied matters at two-all at No. 4 singles, winning 6-4, 2-6, 6-2.
SC junior Jeff Crofts (Beverly, Mass.) put the Pride up 3-2 at No. 5 singles, winning his match 5-7, 7-5, 6-2. But WNEC sophomore Peter Houser (Longmeadow, Mass.) quickly tied matters once again at three-all, winning 3-6, 6-4, 6-1, at No. 6.
That left all eyes on Clime and Lee as the match was now under the lights at Appleton Courts.
The match began with doubles play.
Singles:
1) Andrew Constant (SC) def. Mike Willhoft (WNEC), 6-4, 6-0
2) Justin Freitas (SC) def. Ed Fallon (WNEC), 6-1, 6-2
3) Ethan Clime (SC) def. Jason Lee (WNEC), 6-4, 6-7 (5), 6-1
4) Alex Boutin (WNEC) def. Joe Lisi (SC), 6-4, 2-6, 6-2
5) Jeff Crofts (SC) def. Connor Fallon (WNEC), 5-7, 7-5, 6-2
6) Peter Houser (WNEC) def. Bobby Schlink (SC), 3-6, 6-4, 6-1
Doubles:
1) Constant-Freitas (SC) def. Willhoft-E. Fallon (WNEC), 8-5
2) Lee-Boutin (WNEC) def. Clime-Lisi (SC), 8-5
3) C. Fallon-Greg Kelly (WNEC) def. Schlink-Dave Keenan (SC), 9-8 (5)
Team Links
- Schedule
- Roster
- Photo Gallery
- Recruiting Brochure (.pdf)
- Recruit Me!
- College Tennis Online
- Team Archive
Head Coach Jaime Morrell
In 2008-09, Jamie Morrell enters his fifth season as the head coach of both the men’s and women’s tennis teams at Springfield College. Read more.