SYRACUSE, N.Y. – Mounting a successful rally in singles action, the No. 3-seeded Boston University men's tennis team eliminated No. 2 Army West Point, 4-2, on Saturday afternoon at the Drumlins Tennis Center to advance to its first-ever Patriot League tournament final.
The Terriers (14-11) dropped the doubles point and split a pair of straight-set singles decisions before prevailing in three three-set contests to snap a 12-match losing streak to the Black Knights (19-11). BU will next battle defending conference champion and top-seeded Navy on Sunday (April 23) at 12 p.m. with the automatic NCAA bid on the line.
Army grabbed the early 1-0 lead by winning the No. 1 and 3 doubles matches by a combined score of 12-4. The Black Knights then added another point off the racquet of 2022 All-PL First Team member, A.J. Woodman, in a 6-3, 6-4 victory in the top singles slot.
Freshman Corey Craig put BU on the scoreboard first by holding off a late charge at line 2 to defeat Thomas Loke, 6-2, 7-5. Classmate Alejandro Licea won just two games in his first set on court 3 before rallying for the 2-6, 6-3, 6-3 victory to tie the team score, 2-2.
Junior Ben Letzer had a tougher first set at line 5 by winning one game but then regrouped to cruise to a 1-6, 6-2, 6-3 win. Classmate Jonah Dickson captured the clinching point with a dominating third-set for the 6-3, 4-6, 6-1 win in the No. 6 slot.
For good measure, sophomore Cole Knutsen was one game away from adding a fifth point, as he held a 7-6(7), 6-5 lead when his match was halted.
Led by head coach Dejan Stankovic, BU will be seeking its first conference title since hoisting the America East trophy in 1996 and its first-ever NCAA bid, as automatic berths were not handed out until 1999.
The Terriers are 0-4 all-time against Navy in PL tournament play with all four previous meetings taking place in the semifinals. The Midshipmen posted a pair of 4-1 scores alongside two 4-3 decisions. BU fell earlier this season, 4-2, and last won in 2018 on the road, 4-3.
