QUEENS, NY – The St. Thomas Aquinas College men’s tennis team concluded their season today, dropping a 5-0 decision to #33 New York Institute of Technology in the semifinals of the East Coast Conference tournament.  The match, hosted by Queens College, was moved indoors under threat of inclement weather.  

The Spartans made sure to pack their usual grit and determination when they left Sparkill, and looked to be on the hunt of an upset in first and second doubles.  At the number one spot, Aaron Stahl ’18 (Dusseldorf, Germany) and Javier Munoz ’17 (Sevilla, Spain) were within a game of Matej Selecky and David Jiang at 5-4, but the Bears duo took the next three sets to secure the point.  At number two doubles, Andreu Ferragut ’18 (Palma de Mallorca, Spain) and Roger Almato (Vic, Spain) battled back from a 4-1 deficit to make it a game at 7-5, but the East Region #6 ranked pairing of Tomas Lieb and Alex Martinez won the decisive eighth game to make it a doubles sweep for the Bears.

After a quick and strategic regrouping, the Spartans launched into singles action throwing a barrage of forehands and backhands at the Bears.  Unfortunately for STAC, NYIT had an answer at every turn.  Munoz and Ferragut made their first sets competitive, both dropping theirs with respective 6-4 scores.  Stahl dropped his first set, but appeared to be in the midst of a mini-comeback against East Region #3 Selecky in the second set, but the decisive fifth point was won as he was facing a 4-3 deficit.  Munoz and Ferragut were both up 2-1 in their second sets, but were unable to finish play.  

In his second collegiate match, Bryan “The Machine” Mannine ’19 (Thiells, NY) shined in doubles action with several smashes at the net, but dropped his singles match 6-0, 6-0.  Gilberto Lantigua ’18 (Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain) fought hard at number four singles, but ultimately lost for the Bears fifth and decisive point.  Almato conjured his best Nadal impersonation, but couldn’t muster enough winners for a Spartan point before the match was decided.

STAC concludes their year with a 10-10 record – good for the most wins in a season in program history, and the first ever .500 or above finish.  The Spartans were also ranked in the East Region for the first time in program history, climbing as high as #9 in the polls.  The future is certainly bright for the sensationally stubborn Spartans of St. Thomas Aquinas!

NYIT 5, STAC 0

Singles

1.  Matej Selecky (NYIT) vs. Aaron Stahl (STAC) – 6-0, 4-3 (DNF)

2.  David Jiang (NYIT) vs. Javier Munoz (STAC) – 6-4, 1-2 (DNF)

3.  Rafal Charkiewicz (NYIT) vs. Andreu Ferragut (STAC) – 6-4, 1-2 (DNF)

4.  Tomas Lieb (NYIT) def. Gilberto Lantigua (STAC) – 6-0, 6-1

5.  Rares Ispas (NYIT) vs. Roger Almato (STAC) – 6-1, 3-0

6.  Alex Martinez (NYIT) def. Bryan Mannine (STAC) – 6-0, 6-0

Doubles

1.  Selecky/Jiang (NYIT) def. Stahl/Munoz (STAC) – 8-4

2.  Lieb/Martinez (NYIT) def. Ferragut/Almato (STAC) – 8-5

3.  Charkiewicz/Ispas (NYIT) def. Lantigua/Mannine (STAC) – 8-0