FLUSHING, N.Y. - For the second year in a row, the Fairfield University men's tennis team had their Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Championships hopes dashed in the semifinals. This time, Fairfield fell to top-seeded Manhattan, 5-0, this afternoon at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center.

At No. 2 singles, freshman Ryan Berthod (White Plains, N.Y.) fell to Mihai Nichifor, 6-3, 6-2. At No. 3 singles, senior Zachary Morrison (Los Angeles, Calif.) had his five-match winning streak snapped with a 6-2, 6-1 loss to Peter Czink.

At No. 4 singles, junior Balazs Szikla (Budapest, Hungary) fell to Diego Alvarado, 6-4, 6-2, while Zoltan Bus defeated sophomore Chip Palumbo (Winchester, Mass.), 6-1, 6-1.

Senior Jonathan Fernando (Verona, N.J.) and junior Glen Gannon (Chatham, N.J.) did not finish their matches as play was halted when Manhattan secured the necessary five points to advance.

Manhattan took all three doubles matches as Bogdan Borta and Nichifor defeated Fernando and Palumbo, 8-3, at the top spot. Czink and Bus edged out Gannon and Szikla, 8-4, at No. 2 doubles while the Alvarado brothers downed Morrison and Berthod, 8-1, at No. 3 doubles.

Fairfield will take on the winner of the Niagara/Marist contest in tomorrow's third place match scheduled for 1p.m.