OWINGS MILLS, Md. --- The top seeded Moravian College men's tennis team won the inaugural ECAC Division III Men's Tennis Outdoor Championship Sunday with a 5-2 victory over second seed and Landmark Conference rival The United States Merchant Marine Academy in the title match hosted by third seed Stevenson University.
The Greyhounds finish the season with a 13-7 overall record, tying the 2009 and 1996 squads for the school record in victories and just the eighth 10-plus win season since 1946, and the first postseason title in school history for the men's tennis program. Junior C.J. Widdifield was selected as the Most Outstanding Player of the tournament.
"Our team played well the entire weekend," commented fourth-year Head Coach Art Smith. "This was a great way to end our season. The final against USMMA was a very good match, and Merchant Marine is a very good team."
Moravian led the Mariners 2-1 after the doubles action on Sunday. Senior Lewis Cooper and sophomore Giovanni Lombardi gave the Greyhounds a 1-0 lead with an 8-4 victory at second doubles. The duo finished the season at 16-8, second in school history in wins in a season. The Mariners evened the match with a win at third doubles. Juniors Matt Tuorto and John Wylie would send the Blue & Grey to singles with the lead after an 8-6 triumph at first doubles, and Tuorto and Wylie finish the year with a school-record 17-8 doubles mark.
Cooper was the first to finish in singles with a 6-1, 7-5 victory at third singles as he completed his final season at 17-7 in singles, tied for the third most singles wins in a season. USMMA pulled back within a point with a victory at second singles before sophomore Dan Schmucker earned a 6-2, 6-3 win at fourth singles. Widdifield would seal the victory with a 6-3, 6-4 triumph at sixth singles. Then the match ended Tuorto and Lombardi were each in the third set of the contests at first and fifth singles.
Cooper finished his career for the Greyhounds with a school-record in doubles wins with 45 as part of a 45-25 career, and Cooper had a career singles slate of 43-26, tied for sixth in career victories.
