Men's Tennis Set For Two-Match Road Trip

Wildcats visit Bloomsburg Friday, open conference play Saturday at UDC

3/24/2022 1:45:00 PM

By: CONTACT: Mike Miranto, Sr. Associate A.D. for Communications/Operations | 716-839-8385 | mmiranto@daemen.edu

AMHERST, N.Y. - The Daemen men's tennis team hits the road for a pair of matches this week, visiting Bloomsburg for a non-conference tilt Friday (Mar. 25, 2 p.m.) before opening East Coast Conference play Saturday (Mar. 26, 1 p.m.) at District of Columbia.

The Wildcats (2-6, 0-0 ECC) have won two of their last three matches. Most recently, they knocked off the St. Vincent Bearcats by a 6-1 final at Miller Tennis Center. Luis de Vuyst (Antwerp, Belgium), Sam Greco (Amherst, N.Y.), Zachary Laplante (Ottawa, Ont.) and Phillip Vance (Orchard Park, N.Y.) all posted wins in both singles and doubles action to lead the way.

Newcomers de Vuyst and Laplante have both figured prominently in the Wildcats' lineup so far this season. Both are transfers with prior collegiate playing experience - de Vuyst at Coker College (S.C.) and Laplante at Salem University (W.Va.). They each have six combined singles/doubles wins to lead the team.

Now in his third season with the program, Vance is just one win shy of 20 for his career (combined singles/doubles).

Friday's match at Bloomsburg marks the third all-time meeting between the teams and the first since 2015. The Huskies are members of the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference and have opened the season with one win in their first six matches. That victory came just this past weekend in a 4-1 final over Frostburg State. Five players return from BU's 2020-21 team that finished 5-3 overall and 4-2 in PSAC play.

Saturday in our nation's capital, Daemen meets UDC for the first time since 2019 - a 6-1 Wildcat victory and their first in six lifetime meetings. The teams' spring 2020 match was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and UDC opted out entirely of last season. The Firebirds' seven-player roster includes just two players - Maksim Bahdanovich and Jake Bedforth - who competed the last time these teams got together.

UDC opened conference play with a 7-0 loss to defending champion Queens. The Firebirds have posted a 2-7 overall record thus far with wins over Frostburg State (6-1) and Bloomsburg (5-1).

MEN'S PROJECTED LINEUP
#1 Doubles: Luis de Vuyst / Sam Greco
#2 Doubles: Phillip Vance / Zachary Laplante
#3 Doubles: Jack Paute Urdiales / Jayven Williamson

#1 Singles: Luis de Vuyst
#2 Singles: Phillip Vance
#3 Singles: Zachary Laplante
#4 Singles: Sam Greco
#5 Singles: Ross Belen
#6 Singles: Jack Paute Urdiales

Daemen College features the premier NCAA Division II athletics program in the Buffalo-Niagara region, sponsoring 18 intercollegiate teams. For the latest information on Daemen Athletics, follow the Wildcats via social media on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Instagram, or sign up to receive customizable news alerts, e-mail newsletters and weekly schedule alerts.

Follow the Daemen College tennis program on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram at @DaemenTennis.

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