Box Score Canton, NY – The SUNY Oneonta men's tennis team opened up its spring season on the road at St. Lawrence University today against the perennial Liberty League power house losing a dramatic dual match 6-3.  The match lasted almost five hours but, in the end, the Red Dragons couldn't complete the comeback.
 
Spectacular matches were the theme today on almost every court.  Oneonta was starting three freshmen, which is the the youngest lineup ever in Coach Mitchel's tenure along with one sophomore and one junior transfer all making their Red Dragon debut in the 2016 season. The new look Red Dragons nearly pulled off a huge upset from an unsuspecting Saints squad, who were fielding all upperclassmen in their lineup with the exception of one freshman. 
 
Doubles play began with the Red Dragons going up breaks and early leads on every court.  However, the Saints came back in all the doubles competition and dramatically took all three courts and a 3-0 lead going into the singles play.
 
Junior transfer Michael Nelson (Manhasset/Manhasset) earned Oneonta's first point of the match, winning in straight sets at first singles, 6-1, 7-5.

Freshman Joseph D'Orazio (Smithtown/Smithtown) then went the distance completing his match and earning a victory at second singles with scores of 6-3, 3-6, 6-4.

Oneonta's third and final point came at third singles when freshman Andrew Emanuel (Rye/Rye) took down his opponent with a 6-3, 6-4 victory.

At fourth singles, freshman Nick Fox overcame the freshman jitters in his singles debut and nearly pulled off the upset of the day. He dropped the first set 6-1, then fought back and won the next set 6-3 and was serving twice for the match in the final set but just could not close out his opponent succumbing in a third set tiebreaker.

Despite the loss, the Red Dragons proved their future for the next several years is very bright considering the young players in the lineup and talent that has been brought in.
 
SUNY Oneonta will take on a very talented Hobart College Squad on their campus in the Bristol Field House next Saturday, February 27^th beginning at 12 noon.
 
Doubles competition
1. Paul Barrett/Elliot Solandt (MSLU) def. Michael Nelson (Manhasset/Manhasset)/Nicholas Fox (Commack/Commack) (ONEMT) 8-6
2. Dean Sponholz/Robert Schmitz (MSLU) def. Andrew Emanuel (Rye/Rye)/Joseph D'Orazio (Smithtown/Smithtown) (ONEMT) 8-5
3. Rhonny Rosario/Spencer Whitmire (MSLU) def. Joseph Morris (Bainbridge/Sidney Senior High School)/Timothy Distler (ONEMT) 8-4
 
Singles competition
1. Michael Nelson (Manhasset/Manhasset) (ONEMT) def. Dean Sponholz (MSLU) 6-1, 7-5
2. Joseph D'Orazio (Smithtown/Smithtown) (ONEMT) def. Rhonny Rosario (MSLU) 6-3, 3-6, 6-4
3. Andrew Emanuel (Rye/Rye) (ONEMT) def. Robert Schmitz (MSLU) 6-3, 6-4
4. Paul Barrett (MSLU) def. Nicholas Fox (Commack/Commack) (ONEMT) 6-1, 3-6, 7-6 (7-4)
5. Kevin Frommer (MSLU) def. Cole Laffitte (East Setauket/Ward Melville) (ONEMT) 6-2, 6-2
6. Marco Amendola (MSLU) def. Zach Lasky (Colonie/Colonie) (ONEMT) 6-4, 6-2