Engineers Blank Springfield, 9-0, in NEWMAC Opener

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – The MIT men's tennis team kicked off NEWMAC play by defeating host Springfield College, 9-0, on Saturday afternoon. With the win, the Engineers improved to 6-3 on the year and 1-0 in conference play.

MIT picked up two quick points courtesy of the No. 1 and No. 3 doubles matches. In the top spot, freshman Alex Cauneac (Severna Park, Md.) and sophomore Bryan Lilley (Edmond, Okla.) posted an 8-3 win while freshman Henry La Soya (Los Angeles, Calif.) and senior Alex Jaffe (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) collaborated for an 8-2 decision. The Engineers completed the doubles sweep when freshmen Sean Ko (Danville, Calif.) and Tyler Barr (Auburn Township, Ohio) outlasted sophomore Alex Romaine (Stamford, Conn.) and freshman Court Honda (Marioka, Japan), 9-8 (2).

Moving into singles play, MIT surrendered only four games in the No. 3 through No. 6 positions. Senior Dennis Garcia (Corpus Christi, Texas) blanked junior Kyle Beynor (Prospect, Conn.), 6-0, 6-0, in the fourth spot. Ko at No. 3 and junior Kenny Gea (Irvine, Calif.) at No. 5 both dismissed their opponents by scores of 6-0, 6-1. Lilley rounded out the bottom part of the lineup with a 6-1, 6-1 victory over sophomore Zack Keene (Feeding Hills, Mass.). At the top of the ladder, Cauneac defeated junior Tanner DeVarennes (Lee, Mass.), 6-1, 6-2, while Barr battled Romaine for a 6-0, 7-5 win in the No. 2 position.

MIT continues NEWMAC play on Wednesday, April 13 when it hosts Wheaton College at 4:00 p.m.