Utica, NY (4-26-13) – The Utica College men's tennis team is set for back-to-back matches at the friendly confines of the UC Tennis Courts as it welcomes Alfred University on Friday and Hartwick College on Sunday to wrap up 2013 empire 8 Conference play.

Match Info: Friday's match is set to begin at 4 p.m. against the Saxons of Alfred while Sunday's match against the Hartwick Hawks is set for 1 p.m. … Both competitions will be held at the Utica College Tennis Courts on the Utica campus … The courts are located right next to the Charles A. Gaetano Football Stadium on the left side.

UC Looks to Snap Four-Match Slide: After opening up the season with its best record (3-1) in over a decade, UC has fell upon hard times losing its last four matches, all in conference … The Pioneers, now 3-5 overall and winless at 0-5 in E8 play, look to finish up the season strong while gathering a win in league play.

Pioneer Leaders:  Senior Mike Zaloom (Utica, NY/TR Proctor High School ), junior Daniel Fadden (Lakeland, NY/Bishop Ludden) and freshman Matt Rogers (East Syracuse, NY/Bishop Ludden) presently guide the Pioneers in singles competition each with a team-best three wins … The trio occupies a 3-4 overall record on the season … Senior Sam Cotrupe (Whitesboro, NY/Whitesboro High School ) and sophomore Jon Gorman (South Kingstown, RI/South Kingstown) are both 2-6 in singles play thus far and are second in wins on the squad … In doubles competition, three pairings have posted a 2-4 mark as a two-man team … Fadden and Gorman, Zaloom and freshman Raphael Warnon (Rock Tavern, NY/Washingtonville ), and Cotrupe and Rogers all hold a 2-4 ledger in doubles action.

The Opponents: Alfred is currently 4-10 overall including a 1-5 mark in the Empire 8 and has also dropped four straight conference meetings … AU lost to Elmira (3-6), Ithaca (0-9), Nazareth (1-8) and St. John Fisher (4-5) most recently … Hartwick is winless on the season at 0-8 as well as 0-4 in league play … HC has lost three-straight at home to Alfred (2-7), Stevens (1-8) and Oneonta State (0-9).

On the Road for Finale:  Following this weekend's contests, UC wraps up the season on the road as it heads to Keuka Park, NY for a non-conference make up against the Storm of Keuka College … The contest will be held at the Keuka College Tennis Courts in Keuka Park, NY and is scheduled to begin at 4 p.m.  … Follow the link to the campus map for directions … The tennis courts are located up on the hill by the Davis Dorms adjacent to letter M and next to letter V