Box Score

FLUSHING, N.Y.  - The third-seeded Fairfield University men's tennis team advanced to the semifinals of the 2008 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Championships this afternoon with a 7-0 victory over sixth-seeded Loyola at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. The Stags (12-9) made it a clean sweep against the Greyhounds (9-9) taking all nine matches. 

Fairfield will face second-seeded Niagara in the semifinals tomorrow, April 19, at 9 a.m. It is the sixth straight year in which the Stags have appeared in the semifinals. 

Sophomore Ryan Berthod (White Plains, N.Y.) won his 15th singles match of the year with a 6-3, 6-1 victory over Scott Gannon at No. 1 singles. Freshman Rob Ferrante (Yorktown Heights, N.Y.) earned a 6-1, 6-0 win against Loyola's Ben Epstein at No. 2 singles to improve to 14-9 on the season.  

At No. 3 singles, freshman George Laffey (Basking Ridge, N.J.) posted a 6-2, 6-0 victory against Matt McDaniel to win his sixth-straight. Senior Glen Gannon (Chatham, N.J.) notched a 6-1, 6-3 decision against Tim Koch at No. 4 singles. 

Juniors Chip Palumbo (Winchester, Mass.) and Chris Piasecki (Norwalk, Conn.) also captured their sixth straight victories. Palumbo, who improved to 17-7 on the season, edged Doug Alban, 7-6(4), 6-3 at No. 5 singles while Piasecki defeated Dan D'Agostino, 6-2, 6-0, at No. 6 singles.

In doubles play, the duo of Berthod and Ferrante downed S. Gannon and Alban, 8-2, at the top spot while Laffey and G. Gannon defeated McDaniel and Koch, 8-4 at No. 2 doubles. Senior Balazs Szikla (Budapest, Hungary) teamed with Palumbo to defeat Jamie Russo and D'Agostino, 8-3. 

In addition to the victory, three Stags were named to the MAAC All-Academic Team. Berthod and Bob Kelly (Queensbury, N.Y.) received their first All-Academic nods while Szikla earned his third-straight recognition. To be eligible for the MAAC All-Academic Team, a student-athlete must complete two semesters at their institution and hold a cumulative grade point average of 3.20 on a 4.0 scale.  

For complete tournament information and coverage, visit MAAC Championship Central.