Junior Brett Armstrong has posted important wins for the Skyhawks in the series with Adelphi over his career. (PHOTO BY Andrew Katsampes)

Fourth-seeded Skyhawks face fifth-seeded Panthers in NE-10 first round clash

EASTON, Mass. (April 16, 2013) – Fourth-seeded Stonehill College, ranked ninth in the most recent NCAA Division II East Regional rankings and tenth in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) East Regional rankings, hosts fifth-seeded Adelphi University, ranked eighth in the ITA regional rankings, in first round action of the 2013 Northeast-10 Conference Men's Tennis Tournament at Charles Watt Tennis Courts on Wednesday at 2 p.m.

Stonehill (15-8, 6-3 NE-10) is making its 14th appearance in the NE-10 Tournament, having captured one championship in 2009 and reaching the championship match twice overall. Adelphi (12-7, 6-3 NE-10) is making its fourth-straight NE-10 tournament appearance since joining the Conference prior to the 2009-10 season. The winner of Wednesday's first round matchup will advance to Friday's semifinal round to face top-seeded Merrimack College (12-4, 9-0 NE-10), ranked fifth in the NCAA East Regional rankings, at North Andover High School at 2 p.m. The NE-10 Championship will be hosted by the top remaining seed on Sunday at 1 p.m.

Stonehill is led by a pair of All-Northeast-10 Conference performers in senior Chris Martin (Darien, Conn./Darien) and junior Brett Armstrong (Manville, Conn./Mount Saint Charles Academy). Armstrong, a first team All-Conference performer at No. 6 singles is a combined 32-13 this season, posting an 18-5 record in singles play, including 7-1 in NE-10 play, to go with a 24-8 doubles mark with four different partners, going 7-2 in NE-10 matches. Martin, who recorded his 100^th career combined win against Merrimack on Saturday, is 13-7 in singles play this season, including 7-1 in NE-10 matches to collect third team All-NE-10 honors at No. 5 singles.

Senior Chris Martin looks to lead the Skyhawks in his final postseason run. (PHOTO BY Richard Orr)

Freshman Philip Klados (Lake Forest, Calif./Santa Margarita Catholic) has made an immediate contribution for Stonehill in his first season and received NE-10 All-Rookie team honors. He is a combined 29-17 in singles and doubles play, posting a 16-10 singles record, including 5-2 in NE-10 play, and a 13-7 doubles mark with four different teammates, including a 4-2 NE-10 record. Junior Nick Hyzak (Guilford, Conn./Guilford) is a combined 36-20 in singles and doubles play this season, posting a 17-12 singles record, including 4-4 in NE-10 play, to go with a 19-8 doubles record with five different teammates, including 5-3 in NE-10 play.

Senior Andreas Hammar (Norrtajle, Sweden), the 2012 NE-10 Player of the Year, is Adelphi's top player with a regional ranking of 17^th by the ITA. He is 10-6 for singles this season, including 6-3 in the NE-10. Sophomore Chiwete Njokanma (Lagos, Nigeria) is a combined 25-8 this season, including a 13-3 record in singles play and a 12-5 doubles mark. He is 8-1 in NE-10 play this season with his lone loss coming to Armstrong. Freshman Boris Tiberkov (Miami, Fla./Dr. Michael Krop) is a combined 24-7 in his first collegiate season, posting a 14-3 singles record, including 9-0 in NE-10 play, to go with a 10-4 doubles clip, including 5-3 in the NE-10.

Tomorrow marks the third-straight year Stonehill and Adelphi have met in the first round of the NE-10 Tournament, the second-straight year at Watt Courts. Stonehill was also seeded fourth last year when it claimed a 5-4 victory over the Panthers behind a three-set win by Armstrong. The Skyhawks earned a 5-2 decision in the first round in 2011 in Garden City, N.Y.

Stonehill posted a 5-4 victory over Adelphi in the lone regular season matchup between the two programs in Sally Blair Ames Sports Complex on March 22. Armstrong again led Stonehill to the win as a double-winner, clinching the victory with a gutsy 3-6, 6-1, 7-6 (7-1) comeback win over Njokanma in the final match on the court at No. 6 singles. Armstrong also combined with Klados for an 8-5 win at No. 3 doubles as the Skyhawks swept the three doubles matches. Hammar posted a 7-5, 6-2 win at No. 1 singles over Stonehill sophomore Eric Ringstad (Fairbanks, Alaska/Monroe Catholic). Senior Bryan Kallenberg (Port Washington, N.Y./Nassau CC) followed with a 2-6, 6-2, 6-4 comeback win over Hyzak at No. 2 and then freshman Sander Brenner (Port Washington, N.Y./Paul D. Schreiber) clinched a 6-2, 6-3 decision over sophomore Thomas Alaimo (North Andover, Mass./Central Catholic) at No. 3. Tiberkov evened the match at four points apiece with his 6-4, 6-3 win at No. 5 singles over Martin.

First Round
Wednesday, April 17 (at higher seeds)
#5 Adelphi (12-7, 6-3 NE-10) at #4 Stonehill (15-8, 6-3 NE-10), 2 p.m.
#6 American International (7-5, 4-5 NE-10) at #3 Southern New Hampshire (12-7, 7-2 NE-10), 4 p.m.

Championship
Sunday, April 21 (at highest remaining seed)
Semifinal winners, 1 p.m.