BEVERLY, Mass.—UMass Boston jumped out to an early 2-1 lead after doubles, but the Beacons could not hold on in a 6-3 non-conference loss to Endicott College in the Beacons' 2019 spring opener.
THE BASICS
Endicott College 6, UMass Boston 3
(Endicott College 3-3)
(UMass Boston 1-2)
HOW IT HAPPENED
2017 Little East Conference Rookie of the Year Alexander Comerchero (Brookline, Mass.) finished 2-0 in his return to the team. After taking off the 2017-18 season and not playing in the fall, Comerchero earned the Beacons' lone singles victory-a 7-6 (7-5), 6-0 win at third singles over Thomas Brent.
Comerchero also teamed up with freshman Nandish Shah (Ahmedabad, India) for an 8-4 win at number one doubles.
The Beacons final win came at third doubles, as junior captain Onkgopotse Mokoka (Pretoria, South Africa) and freshman Roy Platteel (Holbrook, Mass.) combined for an 8-4 win.
UMass Boston was extremely competitive at most of the other flights, including two three-set super-tiebreaker matches at second and foruth singles.
At second-flight singles, Miguel Beltran (Ashland, Mass.) took the first set 6-1, but fell just short in the second set and super tiebreak against Charles Book (1-6, 7-5, 12-10).
Roy Platteel also took the first set at fourth singles (6-3), before dropping a 3-6, 6-2, 10-6 match at fourth singles.
Shah put up a big fight at first singles against Daniel Rinkert (7-5, 6-4).
BY THE NUMBERS
- Comerchero was playing his first competitive match since May 11, 2017, when the Beacons fell to Nichols College in the 2017 NCAA Tournament First Round.
- The Beacons fall to 0-2 all-time against the Gulls, after dropping an 8-1 decision last April.
- Saturday's match marked the first career match of Charles Lai's ('15) coaching tenure. The Beacons all-time, program wins leader was officially named the full-time head coach in February.
WHO'S NEXT
UMass Boston will travel to St. John's Prep in Danvers, Massachusetts next Saturday at a time to be determined, to take on non-conference foe Emerson College. The match marks the Beacons' final non-conference tuneup before Little East Conference play begins.
