April 26, 2008

HAMILTON, N.Y. - The Lafayette men's tennis season ended with a 4-0 loss to No. 1 Navy in the Patriot League Tournament semifinal at the Joseph Abrahamson Tennis Courts. The Midshipmen will face Army on Sunday for the championship title.

With victories at second and third doubles, Navy claimed the first point of the match to enter the singles portion with a 1-0 advantage. At No. 3 doubles, Jason Hill and Nick Birger defeated freshman Kyle MacLelland and sophomore Matt McGranaghan by an 8-2 margin. Sophomores Eric Wiley and James Murphy dropped an 8-2 decision to Ramsey Lemaich and Alex James at No. 2, securing the doubles point for the Midshipmen.

Wiley fell in a quickly decided 6-1, 6-0 match at No. 1 singles. McGranaghan was swept by Jason Hill in third singles. Senior Brett Kraft was defeated by John Waters, 6-4, 7-5 at No. 2 singles for Navy's final point of the match.

The match continued so that all the student-athletes involved could obtain tournament experience despite the Midshipmen earning the four points necessary to win after the victory at third singles.

Junior Lee Kojanis lost at No. 5 singles and freshman Justin Haar was defeated in a three-set tiebreaker by Lemaich at No. 4 singles to conclude the competition.

The Leopards finish the 2007-08 season with a 13-8 overall record and 2-4 conference record.

Doubles
1. Nelms/Waters vs. Kraft/Kojanis, 5-4 DNF
2. Lemaich/James def. Wiley/Murphy, 8-1
3. Hill/Birger def. Kyle MacLelland/McGranaghan, 8-3

Singles
1. Nate Nelms def. Eric Wiley, 6-1, 6-0
2. John Waters def. Brett Kraft, 6-4, 7-5
3. Jason Hill def. Matt McGranaghan, 6-0, 6-0
4. Ramsey Lemaich def. Justin Haar, 6-7 (1), 7-6 (3), 10-8
5. Alex James def. Lee Kojanis, 6-1, 6-0
6. Owen Bullard def. James Murphy, 7-5, 6-2