Men's Tennis 5/3/2017 7:35:00 PM

Upset Bid Falls Just Short in CCC Semifinals

Men's Tennis 5/3/2017 7:35:00 PM

Upset Bid Falls Just Short in CCC Semifinals

DUDLEY, Mass.—Nichols freshman Guilherme Barbosa (Bradenton, Fla.) took the final four games of a third set to help the Bison stave off the upset-minded Fighting Scots, 5-4, in the semifinal round of the Commonwealth Coast Conference playoffs. The Fighting Scots pushed the No. 2 Bison the brink of a shocker before Barbosa came through with the clutch win in the final match of the day.

The Bison advance to their sixth-consecutive CCC Championship match with the win where they will face the only team in conference that defeated them during the regular season, Eastern Nazarene. The Lions are making their first ever trip to the Championship.

Nichols led 2-1 after doubles just as it did when the two teams met during the season. The Fighting Scots took the early lead – winning at No. 3 doubles, 8-4. Freshman Jonathan Frink (La Crescenta, Calif.) and junior Peter Godwin (Manchester, Conn.) defeated sophomores Kirill Ivanov (Moscow, Russia) and Igor Markowski (Paris, France).

The Bison evened the score after No. 2 doubles as senior captain James Smith (Monte Sereno, Calif.) and freshman Barbosa took care of business against junior Michael D'Antuono (Mapleville, R.I.) and freshman Eric Kim (La Crescenta, Calif.), 8-2.

Sophomore Blake Norton (Stratford, Conn.) and freshman Brandon Howard (Hamden, Conn.) concluded doubles with an 8-6 win over junior Mason Casady (Santa Barbara, Calif.) and sophomore Nathan Lookwhy (Westborough, Mass.).

On the singles side, senior Jake Zapatka (Wethersfield, Conn.) improved to 8-0 on the year against conference opponents with a 6-1, 6-4 win at No. 6 singles against Godwin.

Lookwhy pulled the score back to within a point with a win at No. 2 singles over Howard, 6-3, 6-3. Norton put the Bison to within a point of closing out the match with a 6-2, 7-5 win over Casady in the top flight.

The Fighting Scots refused to give up without a fight. Frink knocked off Smith at No. 3 singles in three sets, 6-1, 3-6, 6-0, followed by Kim defeating freshman Jack Donaldson (Easton, Md.) 6-4, 6-4 at No. 5 singles to even the score 4-4.

It all came down to the No. 4 singles match between Barbosa and D'Antuono. Barbosa took the first set without any complications 6-0 before D'Antuono did the same in the second set, 6-2. The two players were back and forth in the third set but ultimately it was Barbosa winning the final set 6-4 to advance the Bison to the title match in Quincy.

Gordon (16-6) sees their run come to an end in the CCC semis for the third consecutive season and second in a row by the score of 5-4. The Fighting Scots tied the program record for wins in the season in the first round.

Release courtesy of Nichols Sports Info

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Players Mentioned

Mason Casady: 5' 10"; Junior

Michael D'Antuono: 5' 8"; Junior

Peter Godwin: 5' 8"; Junior

Nathan Lookwhy: 5' 6"; Sophomore

Jonathan Frink: 5' 8"; Freshman

Eric Kim: 5' 8"; Freshman

Players Mentioned

Mason Casady
: 5' 10"; Junior

Michael D'Antuono
: 5' 8"; Junior

Peter Godwin
: 5' 8"; Junior

Nathan Lookwhy
: 5' 6"; Sophomore

Jonathan Frink
: 5' 8"; Freshman

Eric Kim
: 5' 8"; Freshman