BOSTON – Senior captain Corey Dyke (Monmouth, Maine/Monmouth Academy) secured the pivotal fifth point with a 6-0, 6-1 win at sixth singles to help the University of Southern Maine Huskies to a 7-2 win over the UMass Boston Beacons in a Little East Conference men's tennis match Thursday afternoon at the BC High Tennis Courts. The Huskies led 2-1 after doubles and won five out of the six singles point en route to the win over the defending Little East Conference Champions.
The win is the seventh straight for the Huskies who improve to 7-3 overall and 2-0 in the Little East Conference. The loss snaps a four-match win streak for the Beacons who drop to 4-6 overall and 1-1 in the LEC.
Senior Christopher G. Ross (Somerset, Mass.) and junior Thaddeus St. John (Weld, Maine/Mt. Blue) scored USM's first points with an 8-2 win over Beacon freshman Jack Wang (Suzhou, China/Suzhou First) and senior Mark Grinhaus (Scarsdale, N.Y./Northwood) in third doubles. Freshman Kyle Curley (Gorham, Maine) and Dyke gave USM the upper hand in doubles action with an 8-2 win at second doubles. Berry-Sandelin and Curley defeated Beacon seniors Lyle Analetto (Belmont, Mass.) and Eglis Bizhoti (Kocove, Albania/Another Course to College).
In singles action, Southern Maine's St. John made it 3-1 with a 6-3, 6-1 win over Wang at fourth singles, before Beacon senior Charles Lai (Boston, Mass./Boston College HS) defeated Curley 6-1, 6-2 at second singles for UMB's lone singles point. USM then led 4-2 on a 6-2, 7-5 win at third singles as junior Scott Gagne (Lewiston, Maine) battled Bizhoti for a win before Dyke secured the match-deciding fifth point. Sophomore Tyler Adams (Buxton, Maine/Bonny Eagle) and Ross earned the final two points at first and fifth singles respectively.
Southern Maine hosts Rhode Island College on Saturday (1:00 p.m.) in a Little East Conference match. UMass Boston hosts Bridgewater State on Saturday (2:00 p.m.) in a LEC match.
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