Salem State Heads to Little East Finals

SALEM, Mass. -- Second seed Salem State defeated third seed Bridgewater State 5-3 on Thursday in the semifinals of the Little East Men's Tennis Tournament. The Vikings advance to their third straight conference final and will face top seed UMass Boston on Saturday, May 7 at 12:00 pm. The Vikings and Beacons have split the last two championships.

The Bears (10-5) took two-of-three doubles matches to gain early momentum. Sean Nutter (Mattapoisett, Mass.) / Charles Fiske (Taunton, Mass.) defeated Roni Bazile (Brockton, Mass.) / Parker Andreoli (Windham, N.H.) 8-6 at second doubles, while Kendan Ziegler (Hadley, N.Y.) /Darius Desnoes (Ithaca, N.Y.)  dispatched Grant Bellino (Amesbury, Mass.) / Giacomo Graziani (East Boston, Mass.) 8-4 at third doubles. Andrew Muttiah (Colombo, Sri Lanka) / Cory Cherico (Winthrop, Mass.) salvaged a point for Salem State (8-5) with an 8-2 victory over Colin Lamusta (Lynnfield, Mass.) / Jeff Pavao (Somerset, Mass.) at first doubles.

Muttiah evened the match with a quick, 6-0, 6-0 win over Pavao at first singles. Bazile earned a point at second singles for the Vikings with a 6-3, 6-4 win over Lamusta. Ziegler was victorious at third singles for Bridgewater State, beating Bellino in three sets, 3-6, 6-2, 6-1. 

Adam Stanneck (Washington, N.J.) won at sixth singles with a 6-3, 7-5 decision over Desnoes. Cherico clinched the match for Salem State, defeating Nutter 7-5, 6-7 (7-2), 6-3 at fourth singles.