MIDDLETOWN, Conn. – First-year Eduardo Irizarry (Lajas, Puerto Rico), sophomore Brandon Roode (Griswold, Conn.) and senior Justin DeLuca (Mashpee, Mass.) each went 2-0 in both singles and doubles action to propel Nichols past Coast Guard, 6-3, and host Wesleyan, 5-3, in a marathon tri-match at John Wood Memorial Tennis Courts on Saturday.
 
DeLuca and junior Isiah Prosper (Manchester, N.H.) kicked off the season, and match versus Coast Guard, with an 8-2 triumph in the third doubles flight as Roode and Irizarry captured the first doubles flight 9-8 (7-5). After the break, rookie Josh Halpern (Secaucus, N.J.) took the sixth singles flight 6-1, 6-0 and DeLuca blanked his opponent at the second flight. Roode then bested his rival 6-2, 6-4 as Irizarry won 6-1, 6-3.
 
The Bison went on to defeat Wesleyan, the ITA Division III Northeast 19th-ranked men's tennis team, in a match played to decision. Roode and Irizarry posted a 9-7 triumph while DeLuca and Prosper set down their competition 8-6 as Nichols held a 2-1 lead after the doubles session. DeLuca (6-1, 7-5), Roode (2-6, 6-0, 1-0 (10-7) and Irizarry (6-4, 6-3) all took their respective singles flights to put the match away.
 
Nichols is idle until Sunday, September 16th when the Bison venture to Smithfield, R.I. for a match at Division I Bryant. First serve is slated for 1:00 p.m.
 
Tennis Match Results

Nichols 6, Coast Guard 3
09/08/12 at Middletown, Conn. (John Wood Memorial Tennis Courts)
Singles competition
1. Brandon Roode (NC) def. Josh Fischer (CGA) 6-2, 6-4
2. Justin DeLuca (NC) def. Blake Maurer (CGA) 6-0, 6-0
3. Eduardo Irizarry (NC) def. Robert Renfrow (CGA) 6-1, 6-3
4. Mark Guentert (CGA) def. David Drucker (NC) 1-6, 7-6 (7-2), 1-0 (10-8)
5. Weston Fortna (CGA) def. Isiah Prosper (NC) 4-6, 7-5, 1-0 (10-5)
6. Josh Halpern (NC) def. Jon Lightner (CGA) 6-1, 6-0
 
Doubles competition
1. Brandon Roode/Eduardo Irizarry (NC) def. Josh Fischer/Mark Guentert (CGA) 9-8 (7-5)
2. Blake Maurer/Robert Renfrow (CGA) def. David Drucker/Josh Halpern (NC) 8-3
3. Justin DeLuca/Isiah Prosper (NC) def. Weston Fortna/Jon Lightner (CGA) 8-2
 
Match Notes
Coast Guard 0-2
Nichols 1-0
 
Nichols 5, Wesleyan (CT) 3
09/08/12 at Middletown, Conn. (John Wood Memorial Tennis Courts)

Singles competition
1. Justin DeLuca (NC) def. Jeff Legunn (WES) 6-1, 7-5
2. Brandon Roode (NC) def. Stephen Monk (WES) 2-6, 6-0, 1-0 (10-7)
3. Eduardo Irizarry (NC) def. Michael King (WES) 6-4, 6-3
4. Donald Kleckner (WES) vs. David Drucker (NC) 6-0, 0-3, unfinished
5. Alexander Rachlin (WES) def. Isiah Prosper (NC) 6-1, 6-1
6. Michael Glen (WES) def. Josh Halpern (NC) 6-0, 6-0
 
Doubles competition
1. Eduardo Irizarry/Brandon Roode (NC) def. Sam Rudovsky/Zachary Brint (WES) 9-7
2. Justin DeLuca/Isiah Prosper (NC) def. Stephen Monk/Ben Hudson (WES) 8-6
3. Charlie Seifer/Donovan Suh (WES) def. Josh Halpern/David Drucker (NC) 8-3
 
Match Notes
Nichols 2-0
Wesleyan (CT) 1-1