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BIDDEFORD, Maine -- Wentworth Institute of Technology needed to overcome some early deficits in the match and then in the final two singles contests to pull out a 5-2 Conference of New England (CNE) men's tennis result versus the University of New England at Blue Cyclone Complex on Friday afternoon (Apr. 17).
The decision sets up a winner-take-all duel for the Leopards (5-7, 5-4 CNE) with Western New England University (5-5) on Saturday for the final spot in six-team postseason field. The Nor'easters (4-8) will wind up just outside of the playoff picture, dropping to 3-7 in league action.
After trailing in the overall, 1-0 and 2-1, Wentworth secured straight-set results at #6 and #2 singles to slide in front, 3-2. But the Leopards still had work to do at #5 and #1 singles, as UNE claimed the initial set in both cases.
At #5 singles,
Tyler Mason won his first set of the season as an individual (6-2) for the Nor'easters and was up 2-1 in the second, before WIT's Jasper Pearman took three of the next four games for a 5-3 edge. Mason captured the next three, though, to regain the 6-5 lead, only to see Pearman force a tiebreak. Pearman claimed the first two points of the breaker and never relinquished the advantage (7-4) to send things to a third set.
Meanwhile, WIT's Andre Juscamaita was down 7-5, 4-3 until he secured the next three games in the second stanza to push #1 singles against UNE's
Drake Turcotte to a deciding frame.
Back at #5, Mason rebounded from a 2-1 deficit to go up 4-2, but Pearman had the answer with the next four games to clinch the overall match for the Leopards with a 2-6, 7-6 (4), 6-4 final. Juscamaita almost let a 3-0 cushion in the third slip away, but was able to finish strong at #1 singles for a 5-7, 6-4, 6-2 score line.
The Nor'easters were in front of all three doubles contests from the jump and soon enough had the first point on the board. Turcotte and Mason were first to the clubhouse at #2 doubles (6-4), followed momentarily by
Liam Miller and
Franco Leehive at #1 (6-4), and
Logan Flor and
Andrew Young at #3 (6-3).
When Leehive ran away with #3 singles (6-4, 6-0), UNE was on top of a 2-1 spread.
The Nor'easters are on the road Saturday to take on the reigning conference champs in Nichols College (9-1 CNE). UNE will then close out its inaugural season on Monday back at home in non-league match with Salem State University.
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