Box Score Oneonta, NY – The SUNY Oneonta Red Dragon men's tennis team hosted Union College on senior recognition day.  A large crowd turned out to watch a match that was heated from the get go.  Unfortunately the Red Dragons were on the short end of a 4-5 loss and that put an end to the four match winning streak in what turned out to be a very dramatic frenzied athletic competition.

The Red Dragon men got off to a slow start when they dropped first and second doubles leaving it to junior Joseph Morris (Bainbridge/Sidney Senior High School) and freshman Cole Laffitte (East Setauket/Ward Melville) to salvage the first stanza of the dual match.  Service breaks were traded and both teams found themselves competing for victory in a tiebreaker.  Down 2-6 in the tiebreaker the Red Dragon duo pushed back on four match points and won the next six points to seal the emotional bout when Morris hit a clean volley winner for the clincher.

In the singles portion of the competition the Red Dragons dropped first singles when senior Benjamin Leighton (Shokan/Onteora) playing his last career match played well but could not get the momentum going losing to a very solid Union College foe.   In second singles senior Mackenzie Park (Elmira/Elmira Free Academy) also playing his last career match lost the first set 0-6 but fought back and made the second set close before bowing out 4-6.  Union clinched the team match when sophomore Matteo Befi (Hastings on Hudson/Hastings) lost 1-6, 2-6.  However, the never say die Red Dragons pushed the competition to the limits with both teams rooting hard for their teammates creating a spirited environment.  Laffitte wrapped up a very successful season when he took his match in the fourth position with an imposing 6-2, 6-2 triumph.  Junior Matthew Richards (Bayport/Bayport Bluepoint) followed that up with his own drama when he split sets with his opponent and then prevailed with a 7-5, 4-6 (4-10) conquest.  Freshman Zach Lasky (Colonie/Colonie) was completely dominant in his sixth singles match with a double bagel win which was his second 6-0, 6-0 triumph in as many days.

The Red Dragons wrapped up their season despite the loss today winning six out of their last nine matches.  The Red Dragons won't lose a beat even though they are losing two starting seniors as they expect a very strong recruiting class for the fall 2015 semester.