Greyhounds Win EIGHTH Straight Northeast-10 Conference Men's Tennis Title

April 23, 2006

At Lakeville, MA Racquet Club

GET SEVENTH STRAIGHT N.C.A.A. POST-SEASON REGIONAL BERTH

WORCESTER, Mass. --- Outside of the weather the day was perfect for the Assumption College men's tennis team. On what has become its annual day --- winning the Northeast-10 Conference championship day --- over now the last eight years the Greyhounds extended their amazing in-conference streak to 103 straight wins winning the league title for an unprecedented eighth consecutive year.

The Hounds rolled past Southern New Hampshire (5-0) Wednesday, Bryant (5-0) in the Saturday semifinal and Bentley (5-0) in the Sunday finale.

In other news the Northeast-10 Conference announced its season individual awards and the Greyhounds, as expected, dominated. Senior MICHAEL GOLDMAN (Worcester, MA/Doherty) was named the Player-of-the-Year for the second-straight year and JARED DORFMAN (Providence, RI/LaSalle) earned Freshman-of-the-Year.

The highlight of the match came at No. 1 doubles as the Greyhounds' team of senior MICHAEL GOLDMAN (Worcester, MA/Doherty) and freshman JARED DORFMAN (Providence, RI/LaSalle) avenged its only loss of the conference season upending the Falcons previously undefeated and first-team all-conference team of junior GREG MALOOMIAN (Needham, MA/Noble & Greenough) and junior GREG AVOLA (Framingham, MA/St. John's) by the same 8-5 score they had lost by just three weeks ago to the day.

"It certainly was one of the top matches of the season in the conference," said Hounds' Coach JOHN IPPOLITO. "Our guys were just so intense and really wanted to avenge their earlier season loss. Michael and Jared have really developed into an outstanding doubles team. Goldman is among the premier baseline players in the conference and Dorfman has become a force at the net and with his devastating serve."

The Greyhounds won 112 of 114 points played against Northeast-10 Conference competition this year.

The N.C.A.A. regional tournament is scheduled for Thursday-Saturday, May 4-6 at sites to be determined. The Greyhounds received their seventh straight berth with the conference championship bringing with it an automatic bid.

At No. 2 doubles the Hounds birthday team . . . sophomore ANTONIO RECALDE (Ciudad del Este, Paraguay/San Isadro Labrador) who is celebrating his birthday Sunday and junior MATT STOPP (Altoona, PA/Altoona) who will celebrate his during the regionals (May 5) dispatched the Bentley team of junior MIKE MC CRILLIS (Kennebunkport, ME/Cheverus) and freshman MICHAEL DOLAN (Shrewsbury, MA/St. John's) (8-2). The unbeaten Hounds' duo, now 11-0 this season, is noted for its power game with both players serving in excess of 100 m.p.h.

At third doubles, sophomore RICH LIEBERMAN (East Haddam, CT/Nathan Hale Ray) and junior DAVE MARSHALL (Newington, CT/Kingswood-Oxford)-- singled out by his coach as the premier doubles player on the squad---back just this week from a broken hand, won their third straight (8-2) over Bentley freshman MILES HOLMAN (East Longmeadow, MA/East Longmeadow) and junior MARK MAKOWSKI (Nashua, NH/Bishop Guertin).

Stopp defeated Holman (6-3, 6-2) at No. 3 singles and Dorfman dominated McCrillis at No. 4 to climax the match at 5-0.

Over that span the Greyhounds have dominated the conference all-stars . . . seven Northeast-10 Conference Players-of-the-Year (Ryan Richert, 1999; Sean Kenney, 2000, 01, 02, 03) and Michael Goldman (2005, 06).

Six Greyhounds have earned Freshman-of-the-Year honors (Sean Kenney, 2000; Alex Madrigal, 2001; Michael Goldman, 2003; David Marshall, 2004; Antonio Recalde, 2005) and Jared Dorfman, 2006.

Greyhounds named to the first-team single included: Goldman (No. 1), Recalde (No. 2), Stopp (No. 3), Dorfman (No. 4), and freshman STEVE TLUMACKY (Holliston, MA/Holliston) (No. 6). Lieberman was named to the second-team at No. 5.

In doubles Recalde-Stopp (No. 2) and Lieberman-Tlumacky (No. 3) were named first-team, while Goldman-Dorfman (No. 1) made second-team.

Stayed tuned.

ASSUMPTION 5, BENTLEY 0

DOUBLES RESULTS

1, Assumption, Michael GOLDMAN (Sr., Worcester, MA/Doherty) (13-4, 58 10) and Jared DORFMAN (Fr., Providence RI/LaSalle) (13-4, 13-4) def. Bentley, Greg MALOOMIAN (Jr., Needham, MA/Noble & Greenough) and Greg AVOLA (Jr., Framingham, MA/St. John's), 8-5;

2, Assumption, Antonio RECALDE (15-1, 34-2) and Matt STOPP (14-1, 47-2) (Jr., Altoona, PA/Altoona) def. Bentley, Mike MC CRILLIS (Jr., Kennebunkport, ME/Cheverus) and Michael DOLAN (Fr., Shrewsbury, MA/St. John's), 8-2;

3, Assumption, Rich LIEBERMAN (13-3, 32-3) (So., East Haddam, CT/Nathan Hale Ray) and David MARSHALL (6-0, 39-2) (Jr., Newington, CT/Kingswood Oxford) def. Bentley, Miles HOLMAN (Fr., East Longmeadow, MA/East Longmeadow) and Mark MAKOWSKI (Jr., Nashua, NH/Bishop Guertin), 8-2.

SINGLES RESULTS

3, Assumption, STOPP (13-3, 44-4) def. Bentley, HOLMAN, 6-3, 6-2;

4, Assumption, DORFMAN (14-3, 14-3) def. Bentley, MC CRILLIS, 6-1, 6-1.

Season & Career Records Follow Each Player's Name

Team Records: Assumption is now 16-3 overall; Bentley is now 14-10.

NOTEBOOK: Assumption College has now extended its amazing win streak against Northeast-10 Conference competition to 103 consecutive matches (84-0 regular-season and 19-0 postseason)---the longest win streak in conference history regardless of sport.

The Greyhounds have also won 62 straight matches at home and improved their Division II record to 124-17, including 108 by shutout scores over the last eight years during which the team is 151-21. This year the team played 114 points versus Northeast-10 competition and won 112!

The No. 1 doubles by Goldman and Dorfman avenged their only loss this season. Bentley's Maloomian and Avola defeated the Greyhounds (8-5) three weeks ago (April 2).

SEVENTH STRAIGHT N.C.A.A. REGIONAL TOURNAMENT: scheduled for Thursday-Saturday, May 4-6, 2006 at sites to be announced. The Greyhounds have played in the regional tournament in 2000, 01, 02, 03, 04 and 05 winning the 2002 regional title.

N.C.A.A. NATIONAL TOURNAMENT: scheduled for Wednesday-Saturday, May 10-13 in Kansas City, MO