GORHAM, Maine – Senior Adam Whitman (New Castle, N.H./Portsmouth) won a three-set 6-7, 6-3, 10-6 nail-biter at first singles to preserve the shutout as the University of Southern Maine Huskies rolled to a 9-0 win over the Salem State University Vikings in a Little East Conference men's tennis match Wednesday afternoon at the Costello Sports Complex in Gorham, Maine.
With the win, Southern Maine improves to 8-5 on the season and 3-2 in the Little East. The Vikings fall to 2-10 and 1-4 in the conference.
Southern Maine started out strong winning all three doubles points. After 8-3 win at both first and second doubles, junior Corey Dyke (Monmouth, Maine/Monmouth Academy) and senior Jonathan Sproul (Bristol, Maine/Lincoln Academy) earned an 8-2 win at third doubles defeating freshman Conner Erickson (Hubbardston, Mass./Quabbin Regional) and senior Krystian Biedul (Podkowa Lesinas, Poland/Warsaw).
Leading 3-0 heading into singles action, USM received strong performances from sophomores Thaddeus St. John (Weld, Maine/Mt. Blue) and Scott Gagne (Lewiston, Maine) at second and third doubles. St. John defeated senior Jong Kim (Seoul, South Korea/North Andover) 6-0, 6-2, while Gagne downed freshman Tyler Seidel (Suffield, Conn.) 6-1, 6-1.
The Huskies' closest match of the day came at first single as Whitman prevailed over senior Matt Lee (Pembroke, Mass.) in three sets.
Southern Maine hosts Gordon in a non-conference match on Friday (4:00 p.m.). Salem State travels to Rhode Island College on Friday (3:00 p.m.) in its regular season finale against LEC opponent Rhode Island College.
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