Geoff Schneider

Men's Tennis Faces St. Thomas Aquinas In Pair Of Mid-Week Clashes

4/12/2022 11:05:00 AM

AMHERST, N.Y. – In their last back-to-back stretch of the season, the Daemen University men's tennis team faces the St. Thomas Aquinas Spartans in East Coast Conference play on both Wednesday (2:30 p.m.) and Thursday (1 p.m.) Wednesday's match will be held at the Miller Tennis Center. Thursday's head-to-head has been relocated to the Village Glen Tennis Center as severe weather is expected in Sparkill, N.Y. this upcoming weekend. Daemen will still serve as the opposing team Thursday afternoon.

The Wildcats (3-12, 0-3 ECC) are looking to avoid a fifth straight loss after defeats in matches against ECC rival District Columbia (5-2 on April 8) followed by non-conference play at Walsh (7-0 on April 9) this past weekend. The Wildcats are 3-9 during the spring portion of the 2021-22 season with all three wins coming since a 7-2 win at Houghton on March 9. Since a 6-1 win versus St. Vincent on March 19, Daemen is now 1-6 over their last seven matches. Daemen's current losing streak dates back to a 7-0 loss against ECC perennial Queens on April 2. Daemen was swept in doubles and later picked up a pair of wins in singles play thanks to the performances from Phillip Vance (Orchard Park, N.Y.) and Ross Belen (Marlboro, N.Y.) against the Firebirds Friday. The Wildcats were then shutout by the Cavaliers Saturday afternoon.

Luis de Vuyst (Antwerp, Belgium) has found success both in singles and doubles play this season. The junior leads the team with 11 combined singles / doubles wins, with four of them coming in first doubles with sophomore Sam Greco (Amherst, N.Y.).

Zachary Laplante (Ottawa, Ont.) has already made an impact on the Wildcats in his first season with the program after transferring from Salem University (W. Va.). Laplante enters the weekend second on the team with 10 combined singles / doubles wins. Laplante is 4-8 in singles this season, with three of those wins coming since March 19.

Now in his third season with the program, Vance surpassed the 20-win mark (combined singles/doubles) earlier this season at Shenandoah on March 30. The Western New York native has nine combined wins this season, including a team-best five in doubles action.

St. Thomas Aquinas returns just two players from their 2020-21 team that finished 6-4 overall and defeated Daemen in the ECC Men's Tennis Championship Play-In Round on April 30 before falling to Queens the next day in the finals. The Spartans are currently 10-7 overall and 1-2 in East Coast Conference play this year and are led by long-time head coach Matthew Capell.

Wednesday will be Daemen's first encounter with STAC since the teams squared off four times from April 17 – April 30, 2021.

The Spartans have won all 10 lifetime meetings since the series began on April 12, 2014. The Wildcats are still searching for their first win against an ECC opponent since a 6-1 road win against District Columbia on April 7, 2019.

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: Zachary Laplante
#3 Singles: Phillip Vance
#4 Singles: Sam Greco
#5 Singles: Ross Belen
#6 Singles: Jayven Williamson

Daemen University 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 University tennis program on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram at @DaemenTennis.

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