PURCHASE, N.Y. – For the first time in program history, the Manhattanville College men's tennis team is heading to the NCAA Tournament! The Valiants defeated Yeshiva University on Sunday afternoon by a final of 5-4 to remain perfect on the year against Skyline Conference opponents and earn the Skyline Conference Championship.

In one of the most tightly contested matches the Valiants have played all year, the match would come down to the No. 5 Singles match as the final point of the day. With the match tied at 4-4. Nick Schlapak (Dover, N.H./Dover) bounced back from a 7-6 (6-2 tiebreaker) first set loss to win the second and third set by 6-4 finals to earn the fifth and final point for the Valiants, punching their ticket to the NCAA Tournament.
  Play began with the three doubles draws, with Yeshiva taking two of the first three points. The first match to conclude was No. 2 doubles, which saw Ryan Rosenberg (Frederick, Md./Oakdale) and Luis Gonzalez (Norwalk, Conn./Brien McMahon) earn an 8-3 win over Anthony Lallouz and Eitan Jeselsohn. Yeshiva responded shortly after as No. 1 Doubles wrapped with Tomer Mendler and Aaron Cohen earning an 8-2 victory over James Hourihan (Ridgefield, Conn./Ridgefield) and Schlapak. The Maccabees earned the final doubles point in the third flight, as Leon Bassan and Jonathan Mayer bested Weston Goodwin (Freeport, ME/Freeport High School) and Dylan Crowley (Pelham, N.Y./Pelham Memorial), 8-4.
  Trailing 2-1, the Valiants needed to take four of the six singles contests to earn the match win. Crowley made quick work in No. 6 singles, tying the match up 2-2 after a 6-2, 6-2 win over Akiva Ackerman. The Maccabees went back in front following the conclusion of the second flight, with Cohen besting Rosenberg, 6-1, 6-1. Manhattanville pulled even once again as No. 4 Singles concluded, with Goodwin besting Lallouz, 6-3, 6-4. The tide began to turn in the favor of the Valiants in No. 3 Singles, as Gonzalez was able to bounce back from a 6-2 first set loss to defeat Leon Bassan 6-3, 6-4 in the final two sets to put Manhattanville on top 4-3. Mendler would defeat Hourihan 7-5, 6-4 in No. 1 Singles, drawing all eyes to the final action of the day in No. 5 Singles. Jeselsohn took the first set over Schlapak 7-6 following a 7-2 tiebreaker, but Schlapak bounced back to take the last two sets and earn the victory for Manhattanville.
  After going 4-0 in his postseaon matches, Gonzalez was selected as the tournament's Most Outstanding Player.

The Valiants will now await their draw for the NCAA Tournament. The bracket is slated to release tomorrow, May 9^th.

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