LAWRENCEVILLE, NJ – Six players in the Rider University men's tennis line-up won a match, but the Broncs were edged by Niagara, 4-3, Friday afternoon. With the loss, the Broncs fall to 3-11 (0-6 MAAC), while the Purple Eagles are now 1-15 (1-4 MAAC).
Rider took the doubles point with wins at Nos. 2 and 3.
Griffin Clark (Lititz, PA/Manheim Township) and
Brandon Gildea (Manahawkin, NJ/Southern Regional) defeated Brent Boleslav and Darrel Harxhi, 6-3, at No. 2, while
Peter Komosinski (Lake Hopatcong, NJ/Laurel Springs) and
Nicholas Salazar (Miami, FL/Westminster Christian School) took a 6-4 win over Bruno Goncalves and Pere Padro at No. 3.
Lysander Payano Almonte (New Brunswick, NJ/Colegio Quusquey/Rockland C.C.) and
Javier Melendez (Cayey, Puerto Rico/Colegio La Merced) then earned wins at the top two singles flights for the Broncs. Payano Almonte defeated Lukas Wenninger, 6-1, 6-1, at No. 1, while Melendez defeated Harxhi, 6-2, 4-6, 7-6 (10) at No. 2. However, the Purple Eagles won the match with wins at the bottom four singles flights.
Niagara won in straight sets at Nos. 3, 5 and 6, while
Ryan Ciaccio (Mercerville, NJ/Hamilton North [Nottingham]) pushed his No. 4 singles match to a third set, but fell to Goncalves, 6-4, 1-6, 6-2.
The Broncs close out the season Monday, when they play host to Loyola (Md.) at 2 p.m.
