SUNY Oswego Men’s tennis team loses at home against Elmira College
The Oswego Men’s Tennis team took a tough defeat at home against Elmira College last Wednesday, losing 6-3 in singles and doubles matchplay. The Lakers fell to 6-5 on the season, while the Elmira Soaring Eagles glided to an 8-7 record.
The 1st Doubles matchup was intense from the opening serve. The Lakers duo of Mike Evans and Ben Weiss squared off against Elmira’s Keith Bujak and Sam Pine. Weiss dropped in a beautiful second serve in the second set but Evans was unable to corral it at the net, which led Elmira to obtain an early match advantage.
Later on in the match, Weiss and Pine volleyed until Pine ended it with a smack down at the net. The Lakers would end up losing the match 8-3, causing Wise and Evans record as a pair to drop to 3-4.
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The 2nd Doubles matchup also offered excitement for spectators around Romney, where Oswego’s Spencer Thorn and Tim Van Hine, Jr. battled the Soaring Eagles’ Satchal Waters and Austin Mansell. Early on in the third set, Thorn placed a smashing forehand along the back corner but then gave it back on the next point when his hit failed to clear the net.
An intense volley between the pairs ended when Thorn mistakenly left one up, and Mansell gladly smashed it down with authority at the net. The Lakers would eventually lose this match as well, falling 8-2 to the hands of Elmira.
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Senior captain Ben Weiss wasn’t sure if this game against Elmira would be his last ever home game in the Laker green and gold. Weiss says that the young Lakers have gone a long way this season.
“Being a senior and playing four years here, I’ve seen this program grow to tremendous heights,” Weiss said. “The future looks bright for these young guys.”
Even with the loss to Elmira, the Lakers six wins on the season are the most wins the program has recorded in the last decade. Their previous best of five wins happened with last year’s squad. Weiss also says that the team has never actually belonged to a league and that they call up and schedule matches with other teams, per basis.
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The Lakers’ success this past season will certainly be turning the heads of leagues across Central New York. They will look to add on to their wins total with a scheduled doubleheader against Keuka College at home on May 5th, at 6:30 PM.