CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – The Nichols College men's tennis team wrapped up its 2012-13 fall slate with a 6-3 setback to regionally-ranked MIT in a non-conference match on Saturday afternoon. With the win, the Engineers improve to 2-0 while the Bison dip to 3-2.
 
Sophomore Brandon Roode (Griswold, Conn.) and first-year Eduardo Irizarry (Lajas, Puerto Rico) took down junior Edwin Zhang (Falls Church, Va.) and senior Matthew Skalak (Croton-on-Hudson, N.Y.), 9-8. The MIT duo finished last season 10th in the ITA Division III New England rankings.
 
The hosts had a 2-1 lead heading into singles play where the Engineers picked up four victories via straight sets. Nichols closed the gap with a win at the second and fifth flights. Senior Justin DeLuca (Mashpee, Mass.) came back from a 6-7 (12-14) opening set to take the match 7-5, 1-0 (10-4). Junior Isiah Prosper (Manchester, N.H.) dropped the first set 4-6 before taking the second set 6-3 and the deciding pro set 1-0 (10-7).
 
Nichols will be idle until March 7, 2013 when the club ventures to Wheaton while MIT hosts Eastern Nazarene on February 27th.
 
Tennis Match Results
MIT 6, Nichols 3
10/13/12 at Cambridge, Mass. (duPont Tennis Courts)
 
Singles competition
1. Edwin Zhang (MIT) def. Brandon Roode (NC) 6-3, 6-3
2. Justin DeLuca (NC) def. Eugene Oh (MIT) 6-7 (12-14), 7-5, 1-0 (10-4)
3. Brian Oldfield (MIT) def. Eduardo Irizarry (NC) 6-3, 6-0
4. Matthew Skalak (MIT) def. David Drucker (NC) 6-4, 6-4
5. Isiah Prosper (NC) def. Tymor Hamamasy (MIT) 4-6, 6-3, 1-0 (10-7)
6. Jeffret Bu (MIT) def. Josh Halpern (NC) 6-1, 6-0
 
Doubles competition
1. Eduardo Irizarry/Brandon Roode (NC) def. Edwin Zhang/Matthew Skalak (MIT) 9-8
2. Eugene Oh/Curtis Wu (MIT) def. Justin DeLuca/Isiah Prosper (NC) 8-6
3. Tymor Hamamasy/Brian Oldfield (MIT) def. David Drucker/Josh Halpern (NC) 8-1
 
Match Notes
Nichols 3-2
MIT 2-0