NEWPORT, R.I.—UMass Boston men's tennis opened their 2018-19 season with a dominant 8-1 win over host Salve Regina University Sunday afternoon.
THE BASICS
UMass Boston 8, Salve Regina U. 1
(UMass Boston 1-0)
(Salve Regina 0-1)
HOW IT HAPPENED
Five different Beacons went 2-0 in the match, to lead UMass Boston to their first win in a season-opener since the 2014-15 season.
UMass Boston jumped out a great start, as they swept doubles play.
Junior Onkgopotse Mokoka (Pretoria, South Africa) and senior Moon Adra (Dorchester, Mass.) opened the match with an 8-5 victory at second doubles.
At third doubles, sophomores Jay Cyriaque (Boston, Mass.) and Leandro Mang (Buenos Aires, Argentina) cruised to an 8-2 win.
In the final doubles match, senior Ray Platteel (Holbrook, Mass.) teamed up with his brother Roy Platteel (Holbrook, Mass.) to earn an 8-2 win at number one doubles.
Mokoka pushed the Beacons advantage to 4-0, after he blanked Aaron White 6-0, 6-0 at third singles.
Adra clinched the match victory at sixth singles. He matched Mokoka with a 6-0, 6-0 thrashing over Drew Marzano.
Ro. Platteel tacked on a 6-3, 6-1 victory at second singles to push the Beacons advantage to 6-0.
UMass Boston made it 7-0 with a win at fifth singles. Mang easily dispatched Michael Salazar 6-0, 6-2.
Salve Regina earned their lone point of the match at fourth singles. Matthew Newfield took the first set 6-0 over Cyriaque, before Cyriaque pushed him the distance in a tight second set (6-0, 7-5).
The Beacons closed out the match with a victory at number one singles. Ra. Platteel defeated D.J. Bisaillon 6-3, 6-4 to end the match.
BY THE NUMBERS
- Mang, Moon and Ro. Platteel each went 2-0 in their first collegiate matches.
- Ra. Platteel had never played higher than fourth singles-prior to his win at number one singles today.
- Interim men's tennis coach Eglis Bizhoti ('17) earned his first collegiate victory, in his first match as head coach.
- The Beacons improved to 2-1 all-time against the Seahawks with the win. UMass Boston defeated Salve Regina 5-4 in 2014 and fell by the same score in 2015.
WHO'S NEXT
UMass Boston will close out their fall campaign on Sunday October 7, when they travel to Regis College for a 1 p.m. match.
