PRIDE CLINCH FIRST NECC CHAMPIONSHIP

WESTON, Mass. – In a rematch of last year's title match, the Regis College men's tennis team defeated Mitchell College, 7-2 on Saturday afternoon to claim the program's first New England Collegiate Conference (NECC) Championship, while also avenging last year's defeat. NECC Tournament MVP Sophorn Nop (Lowell, Mass.) and All-Tournament Singles selection Michael Beluch (Lynn, Mass.) led the way for the Pride after winning matches in singles and doubles play.

The Pride close out the season with a 12-8 mark, while Mitchell finishes the year at 8-6.

Regis was able to jump out to an early 3-0 lead after sweeping all three doubles matches. Beluch and junior Jeff Parrish (Framingham, Mass.) defeated Zachary Simmons (Coventry, Conn.) and Graham Cavanaugh (Redding, Conn.) at No. 1 doubles, 8-2.

The All-Tournament Doubles tandem of Andy White (Bozeman, Mont.) and Austin Nace (Sarasota, Fla.) were able to handle Rocco Devona (Waterford, Conn.) and Randy Coons (Yonkers, N.Y.) of Mitchell at second doubles, 8-1. Nop and senior Matt Smolko (Pelham, N.H.), who were also selected to the All-Tournament Doubles Team, closed out doubles play with an 8-3 win over the Mariners' Chris McKeon (North Scituate, R.I.) and Michael Hartley (Paris, France).

In singles play, Beluch was able to extend the Pride lead to 4-0 after beating Devona at first singles (6-1, 6-2). Beluch's win proved to be critical, as the Mariners came away with back-to-back wins at No. 2 and No. 3 singles to cut the Pride lead in half. Simmons defeated White (6-3, 6-1) in second singles, while Cavanaugh got past Parrish at the third position, 6-2 and 6-2.

After falling in the first set, 3-6, Nop was able to claw his way back and take the next set to force a tiebreaker. The senior came away with a 6-0 win and ultimately clinched the victory for the Pride with the deciding point.

The Crimson & Gold closed out the match with two more wins, courtesy of senior Mouhamed Diallo (Boston, Mass.) and freshman Biruk Legesse (Marion, Mass.) at No. 5 and No. 6 singles, respectively. Diallo defeated Coons (7-5, 6-0), while Legesse beat McKeon in three sets to take away the win (4-6, 6-4, 6-2).

Joining Nop and Beluch on the All-Tournament Singles Team was Devona and Simmons of Mitchell and Becker College's Brittan Morris (Cedar Park, Texas). Simmons and Cavanaugh also join White, Nace, Nop, and Smolko on the All-Tournament Doubles Team.