Complete ResultsSpringfield, Mass. - March 29, 2011 - Led by a win by Zach O'Leary at No. 3 singles, the Springfield College men's tennis team slipped past visiting Rhode Island College, 5-4, in non-conference action on Appleton Courts.
In its first match of the spring season, Springfield picked up the win to improve to 3-1 on the year.
The Pride won a pair of doubles matches to start the afternoon as Doug Nickerson and Ben Burnap won at No. 1, 8-3. The team of John Schrank and O'Leary were also victories as they took No. 3 doubles by a score of 8-1.
In the singles competition, Springfield and RIC split the six matches, with O'Leary pulling out the victory for the Pride at No. 3. After dropping the first set, 6-3, O'Leary rebounded with winning the final two sets, 6-0, 6-4, to in the afternoon's only three-set match.
The Pride's other two wins in singles came at No. 5, with Joe Giannelli winning 6-0, 6-1, and Schrank taking a 6-0, 6-1 win at No. 6.
Springfield will return to the courts on Saturday when it opens up New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) play at Clark.
Toby Coffin G’01, enters his second year as the head men’s and women’s tennis coach at Springfield College. Coffin, who has coached at numerous high schools in the area, will look to build a program which will contend for a conference crown.
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