The Utica College men's tennis team snapped a four game skid with a 5-4 Empire 8 Conference victory over visiting Alfred University Friday afternoon. Thien Doan battled back from a 3-6 deficit in the first set, by winning the final two sets 6-2, 6-3, en route to a key fourth singles victory for the Pioneers.

With the win the Pioneers improved 1-4 overall this season, while Alfred drops to 2-6 overall.

Alfred's Connor Houghton knocked off Khoa Vo (6-2,6-0) in first singles, and then UC's Shaun Kaleta rallied after being down 6-3 in the first set, to defeat Nathan Kucko (3-6,6-3,6-1) in second singles. Alfred's third singles representative Nathan Garletts defeated Gonzalo Carrascal in straight sets (7-6,6-4), before Doan pulled out a victory in fourth singles.

Gonzalo Salama earned a point for Utica after defeating Tim Pruyn, 6-4-6-4, in fourth singles, before Tom Armitage swept Alex Weller in sixth singles (6-1,6-2).

The Pioneers dropped first and second doubles, but the tandem of Gonzalo Carascal and Gonzalo Salama defeated Tim Pruyn and Alex Weller, 8-1, in third singles to steal the 5-4 victory.

The Pioneers return to action Sunday when they host Stevens Institute of Technology for an Empire 8 Conference match-up at 1 p.m.

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