BEVERLY — Top seed Salem State claimed the 2023 Little East Men’s Tennis Tournament Championship with a dominating performance, besting second seed Rhode Island College, 5-1 at Bass River Tennis Club to win the program’s second post-season LEC championship. Kevin Merino-Rivas clinched the match for Salem State with a win at No. 6 singles as the Vikings closed out the contest with three straight singles wins.
The Vikings, who are making their fifth NCAA Tournament appearance in their history, will await the announcement of their opponent in the national tournament during the NCAA selection show on Monday.
Salem State (11-2) took-two-of-three doubles matches to garner an early lead. Muttiah / Quentin Wilkins easily defeated Josh Brien / Jack Cadden, 8-1 at No. 1 doubles. Roni Bazile / Cory Cherico earned the second point with an 8-5 victory at No. 2 doubles over Noah Morin / Elijah Gouin. The Anchormen (9-5) took No. 3 doubles as Zach Siemmao / Peter Pond topped Kevin Merino-Rivas / Parker Andreoli, 8-3.
Led by LEC Tournamnet MVP Andrew Muttiah, who defeated Brien, 6-3, 6-0 at No. 1 singles and Quentin Wilkins, who earned a 6-2, 6-0 win against Gouin at No. 4 singles, the Vikings needed just one more point to secure the match. Merino-Rivas ended the anticipation, winning No. 6 singles, 7-6(8-6), 6-4 over Fanning to secure the championship.
Head coach Chen Chen, who was a senior on the last LEC men’s tennis championship team in 2018, became the first former player to also win a Little East title as a coach. “Winning the championship means we completed the task. Our main goal this season was to with the LEC. I have a talented group and am lucky to be able to coach them. They are the reason I love to coach this sport.”
