Box Score Rochester, NY – The Red Dragons men's tennis team have played eight matches this season that have been recorded as 5-4 or 6-3 scores making it one of the most competitive seasons in recent memory.  Today was no different as Oneonta yet again played a match that would come down to the wire and the Red Dragons scored a huge nail biting win 5-4.

The match got off to a rough start as the number one and two doubles tandem for the Red Dragons were on the losing end.  Leaving it up to freshman Marco Ammirati (Huntington/Huntington) and junior Zach Lasky (Latham/Colonie) to gain the lone doubles triumph 8-3 keeping the dual match close now down only 2-1 after doubles action.

Singles play; another dramatic affair which has been the overall theme of the season and today was certainly no different.  Number one player senior Michael Nelson (Manhasset/Manhasset) did not have it today and had to settle for a loss 6-2, 6-3 and the same happened to the number three positioned player sophomore Michael DeNigris losing 6-3, 6-0.  An uphill battle down now 1-4 for the Red Dragons began as junior Cole Laffitte (East Setauket/Ward Melville) was dominant and got Oneonta into the singles win column tallying a 6-2, 6-1 win.  Down 2-4 the Red Dragons lined up their efforts staying in contention when sophomore Joseph D'Orazio (Smithtown/Smithtown) split sets and played a beautiful third set up 5-4 when his opponent went down with an ankle injury and unfortunately had to retire to give Oneonta the win at the second position.  Quietly in the sixth position sophomore Nicholas Fox (Commack/Commack) playing some of the best singles tennis of the season scored a 6-1, 6-2 win as he dominated the net and also hitting crisp groundstrokes.  With the dual match deadlocked at 4-4 the fifth position junior Zach Lasky (Latham/Colonie) had to score a victory for the Red Dragons if Oneonta was going to record an all-important team win.  Lasky opened his match with a 6-3 win in the first set and then dropped the second set 3-6 which meant the meet would be decided on the result of the third set outcome.  Lasky played flawless and aggressive tennis and was overwhelming in the decider as a 6-3, 3-6, 6-0 win was registered and so was a team Red Dragon victory at 5-4.

The Red Dragon men wrap up their season at home as they play community rival Hartwick College on the campus of SUNY Oneonta on Monday, April 24^th beginning at 4 PM.  A the same time their will be a split squad competition played v SUNY Delhi also on the SUNY Oneonta Campus.