The Wilkes University men’s tennis team followed suit of the women’s team as they advanced to the Freedom Conference Finals with a 5-1 win over Eastern.
The victory marks the third-straight year in which both the men’s and the women’s team will be competing for conference titles as well as a berth in the NCAA National Tournament.
The Colonels took two of three doubles matches and won three singles contests to clinch the victory. In doubles play, Evan Katz and Wes McCollum cruised to an 8-2 win over Josh Hall and Jonny Shenk to give Wilkes a 1-0 lead. Chris Cozzillio and Jeremy Nolt made it 2-0 after they downed Jordan Gates and Tyler Hoagland 8-3 at the No. 1 position. Eastern picked up their only point of the day at No. 2 doubles when Bryan Arnett and Dan Wilson defeated Clarke Freeman and Cesar Leon 8-7.
In singles play, Katz gave the Colonels a 3-1 advantage with his 6-1, 6-1 victory over Hall at the No. 5 spot, while Nolt took a 6-3, 6-1 win over Wilson at the No. 3 position. Cozzillio clinched the victory at the No. 2 position with his 6-4, 6-2 decision over Arnett.
The Colonels will now take on Manhattanville in the finals on Saturday at 1 p.m. on the Kirby Courts in Edwardsville. The two teams met in the finals a year ago, with the Colonels taking a 5-4 victory over the Valiants.