WILLIAMSVILLE, N.Y. - The Daemen University men's tennis team won four of six singles matches en route to a 4-3 victory over Rochester Institute of Technology this evening in a match played at Miller Tennis Center.

It marked the spring season-opener for both teams. Daemen improves to 1-3 on the year, while the visiting Tigers are 0-1.

RIT appeared to be in control after winning all three doubles matches to earn the one point as per NCAA Division II scoring. RIT's team of Grahith Movva and Christian Berko outlasted Daemen's Alex Lumanog (Albuquerque, N.M.) and Luis de Vuyst (Antwerp, Belgium) at No. 1 doubles, 7-6. The Tigers secured the doubles point after Joel Pho and Brennan Bull defeated Phillip Vance (Orchard Park, N.Y.) and Rohan Chitanand (Den Haag, Netherlands) at No. 2 doubles, 6-3. RIT completed the doubles sweep after Max Chang and Brian Bork defeated the Daemen team of and Zachary Laplante (Ottawa, N.Y.) and Jayven Williamson (Minneapolis, Minn.) 6-4 at No. 3 doubles.

The match was tied at 2-2 midway through singles play. Vance got Daemen on the scoreboard following a 6-1, 6-1 win over Bull at No. 3 singles, before Chang gave RIT a 2-1 lead following a 6-2, 6-3 win over Adam Pasierb (Lancaster, N.Y.) at No. six singles. The Wildcats evened the score at 2-2 after de Vuyst defeated Berko 6-3, 7-5 at No. 2 singles.

Daemen took a 3-2 lead after Lumanog outlasted Movva at No. 1 singles, 6-1, 2-6, 6-0. It marked the first career singles win for Lumanog. RIT answered with a win at No. 4 singles, as Bork defeated Chitanand, 6-4, 7-5. The match came down to No. 5 singles and Laplante rallied for a 2-6, 7-5, 6-3 win over Pho to earn the Wildcats their first win over RIT since September of 2017—snapping a streak of three-straight losses to the Tigers.

DOUBLES RESULTS
#1 – Grahith Movva & Christian Berko (RIT) defeat Alex Lumanog & Luis de Vuyst (Daemen), 7-6
#2 – Joel Pho & Brennan Bull (RIT) defeat Phillip Vance & Rohan Chitanand (Daemen), 6-3
#3 – Max Chang & Brian Bork (RIT) defeat Zachary Laplante & Jayven Williamson (Daemen), 6-4

SINGLES RESULTS
#1 – Lumanog defeats Movva, 6-1, 2-6, 6-0
#2 – de Vuyst defeats Berko, 6-3, 7-5
#3 – Vance defeats Bull, 6-1, 6-1
#4 – Bork defeats Chitanand, 6-4, 7-5
#5 – Laplante defeats Pho, 2-6, 7-5, 6-3
#6 – Chang defeats Adam Pasierb (Daemen), 6-2, 6-3

UP NEXT
Daemen returns to action tomorrow (Feb. 4) when it takes on Niagara University. The match will be played at Village Glen Tennis Courts in Williamsville.
 

Daemen University features the premier NCAA Division II athletics program in the Buffalo-Niagara region, sponsoring 17 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.

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