Wentworth Edges Emerson, 5-4

BOSTON, Mass. – Sophomore Juan Rodriguez (Quito, Ecuador) won at both number one singles and number one doubles while classmate Tim Nguyen (Windsor, Conn.) came from behind to win at number five singles to help the Wentworth men's tennis team snap a six-match losing streak as the Leopards held off Emerson, 5-4, in a non-conference match played at Harvard University's Beren Tennis Center.

The Leopards swept the three doubles matches as freshman Thuan Nguyen teamed with sophomore Joel Vastl (North Salem, N.H.) for an 8-4 win over Lions' senior Michael Nourie (Philadelphia, Pa.) and sophomore Matt Merksamer (Sacramento, Calif.) to get things started before Rodriguez and junior Nate Gove (Scarborough, Maine) won at number one doubles, 8-5, over sophomore Mitch Lance (Tarrytown, N.Y.) and senior Garrett Mercer (North Kingstown, R.I.).  Sophomore Dave Filar (Wolcott, Conn.) teamed with Tim Nguyen to defeat sophomore Nate Fuller (Rehoboth, Mass.) and senior Will Abeles (Hagerstown, Md.), 9-8 (8-6).

Lance got Emerson's first win of the day with a 6-0, 6-3 win over Thuan Nguyen at number two singles and Mercer pulled the Lions to within 3-2 as he defeated Filar, 6-4, 6-1.  Rodriguez earned a straight-set (6-0, 6-1) win over sophomore Ken Nikravesh (Crans, Switzerland) at number one singles to double the lead to 4-2.  Emerson pulled back with a point at 403 when freshman James Landino (Westbrook, Calif.) defeated Vastl, 7-6 (9-7), 6-0.

Tim Nguyen dropped the first set to Fuller, 1-6, before taking the second set by a 6-3 score, and earning the clinching point with a 6-3 win in the third set.  The Lions closed out the match with a win at number three singles when Nourie defeated Gove, 7-6 (7-2), 6-4.

With the win Wentworth improves to 3-6 and hosts Colby-Sawyer tomorrow, back at Harvard.  Emerson falls to 2-8 and is at Albertus Magnus on Saturday.