ITHACA, N.Y. – The Ithaca College men's tennis team played host to its final home match of the spring on Saturday afternoon when it took on No. 35 RPI in the Liberty League finale on South Hill. The Bombers battled hard against the talented Engineers, but ultimately it was the visitors that prevailed in a 7-2 final. The loss drops Ithaca's record to 5-10 on the year and 4-4 in Liberty League play.
 
The Bombers began Saturday's proceedings by honoring its graduating seniors in the Class of 2019. IC recognized Garrett Boleslav, Michael Gardiner, Stefan Lazarevic and Sam McGrath in a pre-match ceremony. Ithaca attempted to play outside for the first time on home courts this spring, but unfortunately a stray downpour came on just after the end of warm-ups, which forced the squads back inside to the Athletics & Events Center's Glazer Arena. The Engineers went on to sweep the doubles matchups and take four-of-six singles battles in the match.
 
Doubles
1. Sebastian Castillo-Sanchez/Andrew Imrie (RPI) def. Minos Stavrakas/Colten Lavery (ITHACA) | 8-3
2. Zach Ebenfeld/Dylan Payne (RPI) def. Michael Gardiner/Max Prestwich (ITHACA) | 8-6
3. Clay Thompson/Brian Niguidula (RPI) def. Sam McGrath/Liam Spiegel (ITHACA) | 8-7 (7-2)
 
Singles
1. Sebastian Castillo-Sanchez (RPI) def. Minos Stavrakas (ITHACA) | 6-3, 6-4
2. Sam McGrath (ITHACA) def. Clay Thompson (RPI) | 7-6 (7-4), 6-3
3. Andrew Imrie (RPI) def. Michael Gardiner (ITHACA) | 6-2, 6-2
4. Colten Lavery (ITHACA) def. Brian Niguidula (RPI) | 2-6, 6-4, 10-7
5. Yudai Teruyama (RPI) def. Max Prestwich (ITHACA) | 7-5, 6-3
6. Dylan Payne (RPI) def. Garrett Boleslav (ITHACA) | 6-0, 6-3
 
The day began with a spirited doubles session that was hotly competitive, particularly in the bottom two matchups at the second and third slots. Senior Michael Gardiner and junior Max Prestwich teamed together once again in the second lineup slot and gave RPI's duo of Zach Ebenfeld and Dylan Payne all they could handle. Unfortunately, their bid to force a tiebreaker came up just short in an 8-6 decision. The third-doubles matchup was even more razor thin. Senior Sam McGrath and junior Liam Spiegel took Clay Thompson and Brian Niguidula to a tiebreaker, but unfortunately they came up short in the breaker by a 7-2 margin. The Engineers would emerge from the session with a commanding 3-0 lead after Sebastian Castillo-Sanchez and Andrew Imrie bested IC's top pairing of junior Minos Stavrakas and Colten Lavery by an 8-3 final score.
 
The first part of the singles session was back and forth with Ithaca continuing to matchup well against one of the region's top teams. The Bombers scored victories from McGrath and Lavery in the second and fourth slots, respectively. Unfortunately, with RPI taking all three doubles matchups, IC had little margin to work with and the Engineers were able to clinch the match with wins in the first and third positions.
 
Stavrakas and Castillo-Sanchez have enjoyed a competitive rivalry over the past several seasons, which included a meeting this past fall at the ITA Northeast Regional Championships. Saturday's matchup in first-singles which was again fiercely competitive. However, it was the Engineer that again would prevail in two close sets, with Stavrakas falling 6-3, 6-4.
 
McGrath improved his record to 9-8 in singles on the year with a strong performance in the second position against Clay Thompson. The first set went to a breaker, which McGrath capped strongly, pulling away for the 7-4 win and the crucial opening set triumph. He carried the momentum to the second, scoring a couple breaks to earn some separation in a 6-3 win.
 
Gardiner found things difficult in the third slot against RPI's talented sophomore in Imrie. The Engineer netter took control early in both sets, winning both by 6-2 final margins.
 
Nobody has gone to more three-setters this spring that Lavery and the third-year Bomber did so yet again on Saturday. He shook off a slow start to race back for a big win over RPI's Brian Niguidula. Although he conceded the opening set 6-2, Lavery responded with a big late service hold to win 6-4 in the second set to force a super-breaker. He again would score the clutch points late, earning his ninth singles win of the year with a 10-7 triumph in the breaker.
 
RPI capped the day with two victories in the fifth and sixth singles slots. Yudai Teruyama got all he could handle from Ithaca's Prestwich in the opening set, but would come on strong to win both sets 7-5, 6-3. Dylan Payne drew Ithaca's Garrett Boleslav in the sixth slot, controlling matters comfortably in a 6-0, 6-3 win.
 
Ithaca is back in action on Tuesday, April 23, when it travels to Hamilton for a 4:00 p.m. start against the Continentals.