The men’s and women’s tennis teams carried the momentum from last weekend’s trip to Boston, as both teams knocked off the Niagara Purple Eagles over the weekend. The men avenged last year’s bitter loss and beat Niagara 4-3, while the women proved they are legitimate Patriot League contenders after they pummeled Niagara 5-2.

The most notable asset of the men’s tennis team this season has been superb doubles play. For the second consecutive match, the men swept all doubles matches. Each teammate has meshed perfectly together as the upperclassmen have set great examples for the underclassmen to follow.

Senior captain Martin MacIntyre and teammate junior John Nogueras claimed their match with an 8-1 victory, and sophomores Phil Bernasek and Ruslan Goussiantnikov followed suit with another 8-2 rout. Junior Michael Yassky and sophomore Jamie Pellechi swept their competition 8-0. MacIntyre continued with another stellar performance as he defeated Niagara’s Mark Dickinson 6-1, 6-3 in No. 1 singles action. Yassky and Pellechi also performed well individually, knocking off Joe Heckley and John Baird 6-4, 6-1 and 6-1, 6-0 respectively. Yassky played at the fourth singles spot, while Pellechi was at No. 6 singles.

The women’s tennis team put on a clinic against Niagara University this weekend, as it combined to win four of six singles matches and two of three doubles matches. Junior Elise DeRose was the most valuable performer for the women’s team as she partnered with fellow junior Cameron Williams to defeat Niagara’s Hilary Hansen and Alyssa Lucas 8-3 in first doubles before dominating Hansen with a 6-4, 6-2 victory in first singles. Senior captain Erin Fenn played with senior Cameron Thaney to defeat Raquel Solis and Emma Cunnington 8-5 at second doubles, and first-years Alexandra Erickson and Stephanie Brown won at third doubles. Erickson (6-1, 6-1), Thaney (6-1, 7-5) and junior Jackie Stimmel (6-2, 7-5) won at second, fifth and sixth singles respectively on this day.

Both teams have strung together two-game winning streaks. The men improved their record to 3-3 while the women moved to 2-3.

Next weekend the men will take on St. Bonaventure and Buffalo as the women face St. Bonaventure and Marist. These upcoming weeks are crucial for both teams because they must be firing on all cylinders when they enter Patriot League play, which begins in March.