Release courtesy of Pratt Athletics
HOPEWELL JUNCTION, NY – In what could be a preview of the conference championship match later this month, the Pratt Institute men's tennis team dropped their Hudson Valley Intercollegiate Athletic Conference clash against the Steels of Culinary Institute 6-3 on Sunday evening at the Taconic Sport & Racquet.
In No. 1 doubles, the tandem of Ben Erickson and Simon Salazar remained perfect in conference play, defeating Culinary's Abby Becker and Woncil Chung 8-4. Culinary would take the remaining two doubles flights and led 2-1 entering singles action.
The Cannoneers would tie the score at 2-2 following Erickson's 10-6 victory in No. 1 singles. With the result, Erickson has now won all three of his HVIAC singles competitions. In one of the more exciting matches of the afternoon, Johnson Mengand Culinary's Abby Becker traded games and were tied 9-9 heading into a decisive tiebreaker. Meng won the tiebreaker 7-5 and the match to give Pratt a 3-2 advantage. Simon Salazar challenged the Steels' Chung each game before falling 10-6. The Steels would claim the final three matches, eventually coming away with a crucial 6-3 win.
Up Next – The Cannoneers (3-5, 2-1 HVIAC) host the University of Maine – Fort Kent in nonconference play on Tuesday evening in the ARC. First serve is scheduled for 8:00 p.m.
