BETHLEHEM, Pa. -- Lafayette College men's tennis booked its spot in the quarterfinals of the 2021 Patriot League Championships with a 4-0 win over Holy Cross on Thursday afternoon at Lehigh's Ulrich Varsity Tennis Courts.

"It was a solid team effort," Lafayette head coach Ralph Van Ormer said. "Our guys showed sheer determination for our best performance of the year."

Sophomore Nash Lovallo provided the clinching point in the match during his 6-2 second set win that followed his crucial efforts late in the first set that helped him take the opener. 

Junior William Barry continued his winning ways in conference play with an emphatic 6-0, 6-0 win over his senior opponent, Matt Slowinski. The Leopards first-flight singles player is now 3-1 in Patriot League matches. Barry was equally dominant in doubles, partnering with fellow junior Ross Coleman for a 6-0 win in the third flight.

Sophomore Josh Wolfe pulled out his third win in singles this season with a convincing straight-sets victory, 6-1, 6-3, at the third flight to match Lovallo for second-most singles wins on the team. Wolfe and Lovallo teamed up on the doubles court earlier in the match for a 6-3 win in the second flight that clinched the doubles point for Lafayette. 

This is the seventh consecutive Patriot League Championships that the Leopards have earned a victory. The team is undefeated in the first round since the conference changed its tournament format in 2014.

Lafayette gears up for its quarterfinal match against top-seeded Navy, which gets started at 11 a.m. on Friday. A win would advance the Leopards to their first Patriot League Championships semifinals since 2008.


Singles
William Barry (Lafayette) def. Matt Slowinski (Holy Cross), 6-0, 6-0
John Yurconic (Lafayette) vs. Will Kelleher, 7-5, 5-7, 0-1 (DNF)
Josh Wolfe (Lafayette) def. Mike Prokopis (Holy Cross), 6-1, 6-3
Nash Lovallo (Lafayette) def. Matt Fagan (Holy Cross), 7-5, 6-2
Daniel Kramer (Lafayette) vs. Jimmy Hennessey (Holy Cross), 4-4 (DNF)
Ross Coleman (Lafayette) vs. John McTernan (Holy Cross), 3-1 (DNF)

Doubles
John Yurconic / Daniel Kramer (Lafayette) vs. Matt Slowinski / Will Kelleher (Holy Cross), 3-4 (DNF)
Josh Wolfe / Nash Lovallo (Lafayette) def. Mike Prokopis / Jimmy Hennessey (Holy Cross), 6-3
William Barry / Ross Coleman (Lafayette) def. Matt Fagan / John McTernan (Holy Cross), 6-0