BLOOMSBURG, Pa. -- The Mercyhurst men's tennis team won its first-ever Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference championship, taking a 5-4 decision over Edinboro on Saturday at Bloomsburg.

After Edinboro took a 2-1 lead through doubles play, the teams traded the lead during singles action. The match culminated with MU's Sebastian Pardo clinching the match at No. 4 singles.

The Fighting Scots took the lead with a point at No. 1 doubles as Vitor Albanese and Mateus Santus, ranked third in the Atlantic Region, defeated MU's Cormac McCooey and Nenad Terzic, 8-6. The loss ended an 11-match winning streak for the Laker pair, which is rated first in the Atlantic.

Mercyhurst drew even with a win at No. 2 doubles from Joaquin Aguilera and Conor McCooey, who are now winners of five straight matches and 8 of 9. The Laker No. 2 pair took an 8-6 decision over Daniel Fernandez and Kevin Mboko
 (No. 6 Atlantic).

Edinboro finished out doubles action with a win at No. 3 from Alexander Andeson and Mauricio Santos.

As singles play began, the Lakers took a 3-2 match lead with wins by Aguilera and Conor McCooey. Aguilera won a 6-2, 7-6 (7-4) decision at No. 3 singles against Mauricio Santos (No. 14 Atlantic) while Conor McCooey bested Mboko, 6-4, 6-1, at fifth singles and won his fifth straight match. Conor McCooey is also a winner in 10 of his last 11 matches.

Each of the last four singles matches to finish went into the third set. Edinboro went up, 4-3, with wins from Albanese and Fernandez. at No. 1 and No. 2 singles, respectively.

Albanese, ranked No. 1 in the Atlantic, outlasted Terzic (No. 4 Atlantic), 3-6, 6-3, 6-4, and Fernandez defeated Cormac McCooey (No. 15 Atlantic), 0-6, 6-4, 7-5.

That set the stage for the Lakers' final comeback. Mercyhurst pulled even at 4-4 when Arseniy Sklyarov got past Thomas McCoy in a third-set tiebreaker, 1-6, 6-1, 7-6 (7-5), in the sixth singles match.

With the PSAC championship on the line, Pardo defeated Mateus Santos, 1-6, 7-6 (7-3), 6-4, to clinch the contest for MU.

The Lakers now await the NCAA Tournament selection show, which will take place on Tuesday at 8:30 p.m.


 

Singles competition

1. Vitor Albanese (EDIN-M) def. Nenad Terzic (MER-M) 3-6, 6-3, 6-4

2. Daniel Fernandez (EDIN-M) def. Cormac McCooey (MER-M) 0-6, 6-4, 7-5

3. Joaquin Aguilera (MER-M) def. Mauricio Santos (EDIN-M) 6-2, 7-6 (7-4)

4. Sebastian Pardo (MER-M) def. Mateus Santos (EDIN-M) 1-6, 7-6 (7-3), 6-4

5. Conor McCooey (MER-M) def. Kevin Mboko (EDIN-M) 6-4, 6-1

6. Arseniy Sklyarov (MER-M) def. Thomas McCoy (EDIN-M) 1-6, 6-1, 7-6 (7-5)

Doubles competition

1. Vitor Albanese/Mateus Santos (EDIN-M) def. Cormac McCooey/Nenad Terzic (MER-M) 8-6

2. Joaquin Aguilera/Conor McCooey (MER-M) def. Daniel Fernandez/Kevin Mboko (EDIN-M) 8-6

3. Alexander Andeson/Mauricio Santos (EDIN-M) def. Sebastian Pardo/Arseniy Sklyarov (MER-M) 8-6

Match Notes

Edinboro 16-5 (5-0 PSAC)

Mercyhurst 13-9 (4-1 PSAC)

Order of finish: Doubles (1,2,3); Singles (3,5,1,2,6,4)