Tennis Defeats No. 2 Lesley, Advances to NECC Finals
CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – The Mitchell College men's tennis team pulled out a 6-3 victory over second-seeded Lesley University on Wednesday night in the semifinals of the New England Collegiate Conference (NECC) Championship at Buckingham, Browne and Nichols.
The third-seeded Mariners advanced to the finals where they will meet top-seeded Regis College for the NECC crown. The match will be hosted by the Pride on Saturday, April 27 at 1 p.m. Mitchell will be looking to win its fifth straight conference title.
The Mariners (8-5 overall) won two of three doubles matches before coming away with four of the six singles points. Juniors Zachary Simmons and Randy Coons and freshman Graham Cavanaugh all won at both doubles and singles to lead Mitchell.
Leading 2-1 heading into singles play, the Mariners quickly took control as both Simmons and Cavanaugh raced to straight set wins. Simmons didn't drop a game in a 6-0, 6-0 victory at the No. 2 spot while Cavanaugh lost only one game in a 6-1, 6-0 win at No. 3.
Coons provided the critical fifth point of the match for the Mariners, winning 6-3, 6-1 at the No. 5 spot. Sophomore Chris McKeon earned Mitchell's final point at No. 6 by a 6-4, 7-6 final.
In doubles play, Simmons and Cavanaugh teamed up at No. 1 to produce an 8-5 win. Coons and senior Rocco Devona also picked up an 8-6 victory at No. 2 doubles.