Box Score

BRISTOL, R.I. - The Nichols College men's tennis team was upended by Roger Williams, 5-4, in a key Commonwealth Coast Conference match on Wednesday.

Graduate student David Drucker (Bellmore, N.Y.) helped deliver a pair of points including his 55th career singles victory to become the program's all-time wins leader as he tied the match at 4-4 moments before the Hawks claimed the victory.

The Hawks rallied from a 2-1 deficit after doubles. RWU's Zack Bussiere (Colchester, Conn.) and Eric Laboissionniere (Cumberland, R.I.) defeated juniors Dan Roman (Tolland, Conn.) and Paul Healy (Pomfret, Conn.) 8-0 at 3 to put RWU up 1-0.

However the Bison came back to take #1 and #2, beginning with an 8-5 win by sophomore Brandon Roode (Griswold, Conn.) and first-year Carlos De La Cruz (Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic) at #1 over Ryan Swanson (West Newbury, Mass.) and Jonah Schwartz (Orange, Conn.). Drucker and senior Justin DeLuca (Mashpee, Mass.) notched an 8-6 victory over Kevin Erikson (Tolland, Conn.) and Jason Pacino (North Reading, Mass.) at #1 for the lead.

At singles, Swanson tied the match at two apiece with a 6-0, 6-0 win at #5 over Roman. DeLuca regained the lead for Nichols with a 6-2, 6-0 win over Erikson at #2.

Kyle Bull (Pleasantville, Mass.) knotted the match again at three, defeating Healy 6-2, 6-2 at #6, followed by Bussiere's 6-2, 4-6, 6-4 victory at #1 over Roode, who entered the match ranked 15th regionally. Drucker came back with a 2-6, 7-6 (7-3), 6-3 comeback at #3 over Taylor Webster (Bristol, Conn.) to tie the match again at four.

Laboissionniere would come up with the clinching match, coming back from a 1-6 loss in the opening set with 6-1 and 7-5 wins to defeat De La Cruz at #4 and claim the match for the Hawks.

Roger Williams (7-5, 4-0 CCC) travels to Curry on Saturday, while Nichols (10-5, 3-1 CCC), ranked #18 regionally, will head to Gordon on Saturday.

Courtesy Roger Williams Sports Information