UTICA, NY - The Utica University men's tennis team will host the SUNY Delhi Broncos in non-conference action at 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday.
Last Time Out: The team picked up its first Empire 8 win of the season after taking down Alfred University 9-0 at home on Sunday afternoon. The Pioneers started the afternoon with a sweep in doubles action.
Damian Bruce (Gloversville, NY/Gloversville) and
LJ Nuzzo (Peru, NY/Peru Central) took doubles one 8-2 before
Austin McGrain (Pittsford, NY/Pittsford Mendon ) and
Ethan Trembley (Schenectady, NY/La Salle Institute) took doubles two 8-1 and
Gaynay Doo (Utica, NY/Proctor ) and
Bradley Litz (West Winfield, NY/Mt. Markham ) won third doubles 8-1. Bruce went on to win first singles 6-4, 6-1 while Nuzzo won singles two 6-1, 6-1. McGrain took third singles 2-6, 6-3, 10-5 and Trembley claimed fourth singles by way of a golden set, 6-0, 6-0. Doo won his first singles match as a Pioneer in fifth singles, 6-1, 6-4 and
Joe Shirley (Sackets Harbor, NY/Sackets Harbor) closed out the afternoon with a golden set win in singles six, 6-0, 6-0.
It's Been Awhile: Utica's 9-0 win over Alfred on Sunday marked the program's second all-time win over the Saxons. The only other time Utica defeated Alfred came in 2009 when the Pioneers won at home 5-4. It was also the program's first Empire 8 win since April 9, 2019 when the team beat Sage 5-4.
Player of the Week: Damian Bruce (Gloversville, NY/Gloversville) earned Empire 8 Men's Tennis Player of the Week, as announced by the conference on Monday. Bruce went 2-0 in first singles and 2-0 in first doubles over two matches this weekend. Against St. John Fisher on Saturday, Bruce and teammate
LJ Nuzzo (Peru, NY/Peru Central) took doubles one, 8-7, before taking singles one 6-1, 6-1. In the team's 9-0 win over Alfred on Sunday, Bruce and Nuzzo claimed first doubles 8-2 while he then went on to win first singles 6-4, 6-1. With Bruce's help, Utica defeated Alfred for the second time ever and for the first time since 2009.
Three Amigos: Along with Bruce, Nuzzo and McGrain have been playing well over the team's first three matches. The three have combined for eight of the team's 12 singles wins as Bruce and Nuzzo are 3-0 and McGrain 2-1. Bruce and Nuzzo also own a 3-0 mark in doubles as running mates while McGrain and Trembley are 2-1 with one another.
About Delhi: The Broncos are 4-1 this season while owning a 2-0 mark in North Atlantic Conference play. The team has won three straight matches including a pair of 9-0 wins over Northern Vermont-Johnson on April 3 which capped off a stretch of four matches in three days.
Up Next: Utica will travel to Houghton College for a 2 p.m. match on Saturday, April 9.
