Salve Regina Slips Past Men's Tennis 5-4

NEWPORT, R.I. — Salve Regina University rallied from a 2-1 deficit after doubles play, to earn a tight 5-4 decision over UMass Boston men's tennis Sunday afternoon at the Leroy Avenue Courts.

THE BASICS
Salve Regina 5, UMass Boston 4
(UMass Boston 0-2, Little East 0-0)
(Salve Regina 1-1, Commonwealth Coast 0-0)

HOW IT HAPPENED
After UMass Boston took two of the three doubles points, Salve Regina earned four of six singles points to earn their first-ever victory over the Beacons.

UMass Boston freshman Josh Bhasin (Tulsa, Okla.) and junior Jack Wang (Suzhou, China) each finished a perfect 2-0 in the loss. Bhasin and freshman Tin Tran (Quincy, Mass.) each earned their first collegiate victories in the loss.

Tran and senior Vlad Leopard (Carnikava, Lativa) opened the match with an 8-6 win at second doubles. After Salve Regina responded with an 8-6 win of their own at third doubles, Bhasin and Wang knocked off the Seahawks' top doubles team 8-4 at number one doubles

Salve Regina roared right back with wins at fourth and six singles to grab their first lead of the day at 3-2. UMass Boston would counter with two-straight wins of their own.

Wang improved to 2-0 on the season at number two singles, as he dispatched Donovan Gangewere 6-3, 6-2. Bhasin quickly followed up with a 6-2, 6-2 win at number one singles, to give the Beacons a 4-3 advantage.

Tran would put up a tough fight at third singles, but he eventually fell 7-6 (7-4), 6-1 to even the match at 4-4.

In the final singles match of the day, Leopard went the distance with Salve Regina's Matt Gingras at fifth singles. After Gingras took the first set 7-6 (7-4), Leopard took the second set 6-4. In the third and final set, Gingras took the set, point and match with a 6-0 win.

BY THE NUMBERS

• Sunday's match marked the second all-time meeting between the two teams. Last September, UMass Boston earned a 5-4 win over Salve Regina.
• Senior Zeke Hernandez (Baytown, Texas) made his collegiate debut at third doubles.
• Leopard earned his first collegiate doubles victory in the loss, after finishing 0-8 in doubles a year ago. 

NEXT UP
UMass Boston will compete in the Eastern Nazarene College Invitational on Saturday October 10. The tournament was originally scheduled for October 3, but was postponed due to poor weather.