RINDGE, N.H. (April 8, 2017) – The Franklin Pierce University men's tennis team put together a tight, 5-4, victory at home on Saturday afternoon in Northeast-10 Conference play against Merrimack.

With the win, Franklin Pierce improves to 3-11 (2-4 NE10), while Merrimack falls to 6-7 (4-1 NE10). The Warriors are the East Region's sixth-ranked team.

Franklin Pierce started the day by taking two of the three available doubles points. Sophomores James Bisazza (West Barnstable, Mass.) and Andrew Schadt (Tolland, Conn.) provided the signature win of the afternoon, as they upended the region's fifth-ranked doubles squad at first doubles, with an 8-4 win over Merrimack junior Mikhail Belov and senior Nick Majewski. Junior Olivier Viel (Quebec City, Quebec) and freshman Matthew Toombs (Pleasanton, Calif.) followed up with an 8-6 win at third doubles, over sophomore Alex Slobin and senior Tayyab Sheikh.

The teams then split the six singles matches, which allowed Franklin Pierce to pull out the 5-4 victory. For the second straight outing for the Ravens, it was sixth singles which provided the match's decisive point. This time, Toombs pulled out a 7-6 (5), 4-6, 6-3 victory of Sheikh to send the crimson and grey away winners.

Franklin Pierce's other singles points came at first and fifth singles. At first singles, Bisazza notched a 6-3, 4-6, 6-3 win over Belov. At fifth singles, it was Viel who put together a 6-4, 7-5, straight-set win over Slobin.

Fourth singles was the remaining three-set contest of the day, with Merrimack freshman Alex Fedorov snagging a 6-7 (4), 6-2, 6-3 win over sophomore Marcus Lawrence (Acton, Mass.).

The Ravens return to the court on Wednesday, April 12, when they remain home to host Adelphi in an NE10 match at 2:30 p.m. in Rindge.

For more information on Franklin Pierce Athletics, please visit the official website of Franklin Pierce Athletics (http://athletics.franklinpierce.edu). Also be sure to follow the Ravens through the Department of Athletics' official Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/FranklinPierceRavens), its YouTube channel (http://www.youtube.com/franklinpiercesports) and its Twitter feed (http://twitter.com/FPUathletics). Fans wishing to purchase Franklin Pierce tennis apparel can do so at the Department of Athletics' online store (http://athletics.franklinpierce.edu/store).