BETHLEHEM, Pa. --- The Moravian College men's tennis team clinched a berth in the 2014 Landmark Conference Tournament with a 9-0 sweep of The United States Merchant Marine Academy in the regular season finale at Hoffman Courts Thursday.
The Hounds, now 8-9 overall, finish the Landmark season at 4-3 and will be the fourth seed in the four-team tournament. Moravian will travel to top seed Juniata College for a semifinal match on Wednesday, April 23 at 3:00 p.m. The winner of that match will advance to the Landmark Championship on Saturday, April 26 with an automatic berth to the NCAA Tournament on the line.
"It was a good team win," stated Head Coach Art Smith. "Everyone is happy to be in the playoffs and anxious to play next Wednesday."
The Greyhounds swept the doubles action to build a 3-0 lead USMMA Thursday. Sophomores Matt Tuorto and John Wylie posted an 8-3 win at first doubles while junior Lewis Cooper and freshman Mike Antonis won at second doubles by the same score. Sophomore C.J. Widdifield and freshman Giovanni Lombardi earned an 8-6 victory at third doubles for Moravian.
The Hounds finished off the match by taking all six singles contests, five of them in straight sets. Tuorto was the only player to need more than two sets, capturing his first singles contest, 6-1, 1-6, 6-2.
"Matt played very well at number one against a tough freshman for USMMA," Smith said of his co-captain. "He had an outstanding third set after dropping the second one."
Wylie had a 6-2, 6-1 win at second singles while Cooper posted a 6-2, 6-3 victory at third singles. Antonis won 6-2, 6-0 in fourth singles while Lombardi had a 6-3, 6-0 triumph at fifth singles. Freshman Dan Schmucker rounded out the line-up with a 6-1, 6-0 victory at sixth singles.
Moravian's next match will be the Landmark Conference Semifinals at Juniata College on April 23 at 3:00 p.m.