HOUGHTON, NY – Hartwick's men's tennis team won three matches and nearly pulled off another three which would have given the Hawks their first win of the 2014 season on Saturday. Instead, the host Houghton Highlanders came away with a 6-3 win. Houghton improves to 4-6 overall. Hartwick falls to 0-8.
           
Hartwick nearly left doubles play up 3-0 to start the day but the Highlanders edged the Hawks in two matches.
           
Liam Brown (Suffield, CT/Sufield) and Jefferson Monastoque (Heredia, Costa Rica/Blue Valley) won at second doubles, defeating Chase Rangel and Daniel Hammers 8-4.
           
Will Gilbraith (West Monroe, NY/Paul V. Moore) and Brian Redder (Marion, NY/Williamson) came up two games short at first doubles, losing to Brennan Campbell and Matt James, 8-6.
           
Sean Coppola (Canastota, NY/Canastota) and Ross Braue (Canastota, NY/Canastota) forced a 20-game marathon at third doubles with Houghton's Nathan Aston and Daniel Thompson, but the Highlander duo pulled out an 11-9 win.
           
In singles play, Gilbraith and Monastoque earned victories in their respective flights. Gilbraith cruised over James in second singles, 6-0, 6-1. Monastoque prevailed over Thompson, 6-3, 6-1.
           
Brown forced a three-setter in third singles against Rangel. Brown dropped the first set 6-2 but battled back in the second, 6-2. In the super tie-break, Rangel was first to 10 points, 10-4 to claim the win.
           
Hartwick returns home to face Nazareth on Sunday, April 15. Match time begins at 2 p.m.