SURPRISE, Ariz. - For the first time since 1995, the Mercyhurst University men's tennis team found itself in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Division II Tournament on Wednesday afternoon at the Surprise Racquet and Tennis Club. However, the Lakers saw their season come to an end as the 29th-ranked Aggies of Cameron University posted a 5-0 victory over Mercyhurst to advance to the quarterfinals. Mercyhurst ended its season with a 15-7 overall record while Cameron improved to 17-8.

During that 1995 season, the Lakers defeated Concordia (NY) and Slippery Rock to get to the round of 16 which was held in Davis, California. Mercyhurst lost to top-ranked Lander to end its run during the 1995 campaign.

This season, Mercyhurst, which entered the Atlantic Regional as the sixth seed, upset third-seeded West Virginia Wesleyan and then knocked off second-seeded West Liberty to advance to the Sweet 16. But, like the 1995 run, the season ended there for the Lakers.

The Aggies won all three doubles matches to take a 3-0 lead heading into singles competition. The matches were tightly-contested, however, as none of the three matches was more lopsided than an 8-5 margin. The Lakers' #3 duo of sophomore Ross Molinaro IV and junior Robert Rizea dropped an 8-6 decision while the #1 team of freshman Nenad Terzic and junior Travis Beck suffered an identical fate - an 8-6 loss. Freshman Andoni Marquez and sophomore Conor McCooey lost 8-5 at #2.

Cameron then won the first two singles results of the match to end the contest. The Aggies' Justin Baciu handed Molinaro IV a 6-2, 6-0 loss at #6 while Marquez lost 6-3, 6-3 to Mateo Velasco at #4.

#29 Cameron University 5, Mercyhurst University 0
NCAA Division II Sweet 16
Doubles Competition
1. Felipe Oyarzun / Andres Velasco (CU) def. Travis Beck / Nenad Terzic (MER-M) 8-6
2. Joao Fazendeiro / Dennis Merdan (CU) def. Andoni Marquez / Conor McCooey (MER-M) 8-5
3. Angelo Lencioni / Mateo Velasco (CU) def. Ross Molinaro IV / Robert Rizea (MER-M) 8-6
Singles Competition
1. Dennis Merdan (CU) vs. Nenad Terzic (MER-M) 2-6, 3-2, unfinished
2. Felipe Oyarzun (CU) vs. Travis Beck (MER-M) 6-3, 3-2, unfinished
3. Joao Fazendeiro (CU) vs. Robert Rizea (MER-M) 6-1, 2-1, unfinished
4. Mateo Velasco (CU) def. Andoni Marquez (MER-M) 6-3, 6-3
5. Angelo Lencioni (CU) vs. Conor McCooey (MER-M) 6-3, 4-1, unfinished
6. Justin Baciu (CU) def. Ross Molinaro IV (MER-M) 6-2, 6-0