ROME, GA – Cooper Dillon (Brisbane, Australia/Laurel Springs) won for the second-straight day at No. 6 singles, but the Rider University men's tennis team was defeated by Saint Mary's (CA), 4-1, in the UTR NIT Semifinals Thursday morning at Rome Tennis Center. The Broncs fall to 12-15 with the loss, while the Gaels (7-17) advance to Friday's championship match against Chattanooga.

The Gaels took the doubles point with 6-3 wins at Nos. 2 and 3. The Broncs were highly competitive at No. 1, with Dhruv Tangri (Punjab, India/Cambridge International School) and Matteus Froberg Dahlin (Lidingo, Sweden/Hersby Gymnasium) trailing, 5-4, on serve when the match was abandoned.

In singles, Dillon made quick work of Aidan Watt, 6-4, 6-0, at No. 6. But the Gaels would win the next three singles flights to finish, clinching the match. Pierre Lieutaud defeated Nathan Slattery (Nenagh, Ireland), 6-2, 6-1, at No. 4, before Dhruv Tangri (Punjab, India/Cambridge International School) fell to Carlos Ramos, 6-0, 1-6, 6-1, at No. 1. Finley Dyer defeated Cole Thurgur (Ottawa, Ontario/Nepean), 5-7, 6-3, 6-2, at No. 3 to clinch the match.

Rider had leads in the remaining two matches when they were abandoned. Matteus Froberg Dahlin (Lidingo, Sweden/Hersby Gymnasium) was leading Thibaud Maxant, 7-6, 5-4, at No. 2, while Axel Engstrom and Bastien Maxant split their first two sets at No. 5, with Engstrom leading, 5-4, in the third.