PURCHASE, N.Y. – The quest to repeat as Skyline Conference Champions for the Manhattanville College men's tennis team fell just short as the top-seeded Valiants fell to No. 2 Farmingdale state on Friday afternoon by a final to 5-2. The loss brings an end to what was yet another incredible season on the courts for the Valiants, who will officially end the year 9-5.
Farmingdale would take a 2-1 lead at the conclusion of doubles action. The Rams struck first in the No. 2 flight, as Alan Sabovic and Muhammad Sawar bested
Luis Gonzalez (Norwalk, Conn./Brien McMahon) and
Dylan Crowley (Pelham, N.Y./Pelham Memorial) 8-4. The Valiants would get the point back in the No. 3 flight as
Shiel Loganadan (New York, N.Y./Mary McDowell Friends) and
Max Moeller (Crestwood, N.Y./Iona Prep) defeated Matthew Olkhovetsky and Ethan Cintron, 8-4. Farmingdale State would take the final point up for grab in duos in the top court as
James Hourihan (Ridgefield, Conn./Ridgefield) and
Weston Goodwin (Freeport, Maine/Freeport) fell 2-8 to the Rams' top pairing of Mark Baker and Ryan Hendel.
Farmingdale then went on to claim three of the first four singles decisions to win the match and punch their ticket to the NCAA Tournament. The Rams would collect their first point in the No. 2 flight. Sabovic took the first set from Gonzalez 6-3 and led the second 1-0 before Gonzlez succumbed to injury and had to retire from the set early. Over on court five, Crowley got the Valiants their second point by besting Manzi 6-0, 6-1. From there, the Valiants would have needed wins in three of the four remaining singles draws to take the match. The Rams, however, had other plans, as Olkhovetsky bested
Jaime Peredo (Uruapan, México/Instituto Morelos) 6-1, 6-1 on Court 6 before Baker defeated Hourihan in the top flight 6-2, 6-0 to take the match by a final of 5-2.
In the unfinished singles draws, Loganadan and Sawar had a war in the first set of No. 4 Singles. Loganadan took the first set 7-6 with a 9-7 tiebreaker and trailed in the second 1-3 before the match came to a close. In No. 3 action, Goodwin dropped the first set to Hendel 4-6 and trailed in the second 3-5.
The Rams will represent the Skyline Conference at the NCAA Tournament having secured the conference's automatic bid with the win. Farmingdale will find out their opponent next week.Â
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