Box Score Wilkes Barre, PA - The SUNY Oneonta men's tennis team opened up its fall season and the 2015-16 campaign with a tough 7-2 loss to the Freedom Conference power house Wilkes University.  The Colonels shutout everyone of their conference foes going undefeated last year and had a total combined games score throughout their spring season of 91-9.  However, armed with a very young recruiting class and some returning veterans the Red Dragons showed great promise and gave the Colonels one of their toughest matches in over a year.   

The doubles segment of the dual match ended up 0-3 in favor of the Colonels but the highlight was at number three doubles when senior Joe Morris and Sophomore Cole Laffitte (East Setauket/Ward Melville) were up a break in their match at the third flight coming just two points from winning the match but eventually bowed to their opponents 8-9 losing 3-7 in the tie-breaker.

In singles two of the matches went to a third set super tiebreaker as senior Matt Richards won for the Red Dragons with a score of 2-6, 6-1, 10-4 at the number 5 position.  Laffitte also turned in a great effort but fell at number six with a score of 2-6, 6-1, 10-4.  A highlight was freshman Andrew Emanuel getting his first win as a SUNY Oneonta Red Dragon with a very convincing triumph turning in a match score of 6-0, 6-4 surprising his Wilkes opponent who simply was outclassed by the rookie at number four singles.

Despite the loss Coach Lonnie Mitchel saw the immediate impact of several of the new players who will have a promising four-year career at Oneonta.  Great promise was also shown when freshman Joseph D'Orazio lost 6-4, 6-2 while making his Oneonta Red Dragon debut was up a break and actually held two more break points which would could have secured the first set in his match at third singles.  This against an undefeated Freedom Conference all first team all conference player.  He was unable to convert those break points but D'Orazio was able to keep his opponent off his game early with a great variety of slice and low balls.  With intelligent play like that the Red Dragons have a great future.

The Red Dragons will have little rest when another strong opponent, Hamilton College comes calling on the campus of SUNY Oneonta on Thursday, September 17th beginning at 4 PM.

Doubles competition:
1. C. Murphy/M. Appello (WUMT) def. Michael Nelson/Matthew Richards (Bayport/Bayport Bluepoint) (ONEMT) 8-3
2. M. Kranz/J. Parfianowicz (WUMT) def. Joseph D'Orazio/Andrew Emanuel (ONEMT) 8-3
3. A. Lefkandinos/T. Haas (WUMT) def. Cole Laffitte (East Setauket/Ward Melville)/Joseph Morris (Bainbridge/Sidney Senior High School) (ONEMT) 9-8

Singles competition:
1. C. Murphy (WUMT) def. Zach Lasky (Colonie/Colonie) (ONEMT) 6-1, 6-1
2. M. Appello (WUMT) def. Matthew Bahar (Woodbury/Syosset) (ONEMT) 6-4, 6-1
3. D. Parfianowicz (WUMT) def. Joseph D'Orazio (ONEMT) 6-4, 6-2
4. Andrew Emanuel (ONEMT) def. A. Lefkandinos (WUMT) 6-0, 6-4
5. Matthew Richards (Bayport/Bayport Bluepoint) (ONEMT) def. T. Haas (WUMT) 2-6, 6-1, 10-4
6. M. Kranz (WUMT) def. Cole Laffitte (East Setauket/Ward Melville) (ONEMT) 4-6, 6-0, 10-6