Box Score
 
Pine Valley, NY -- The Elmira College men's tennis team (4-4, 1-1 E8) picked up their first Empire 8 Conference victory of the season as the Soaring Eagles swept the Hawks of Hartwick College (0-4, 0-1 E8), 9-0.  Today's 9-0 victory marks the first sweep against Hartwick in over 14 seasons.
 
Elmira jumped out to a 3-0 lead behind strong doubles play on all three courts.  From top to bottom, the Soaring Eagles fired on all cylinders as the Purple and Gold won 24 of 28 games played, including an 8-0 showing at third doubles by EC's Pavle Vashakidze '16 and Scott Ferron '16. 
 
Ferron continued his strong play in singles as he put the Soaring Eagles in front, 4-0 with a decisive 6-0, 6-1 victory at sixth singles.  For Ferron, it is his first singles win of the 2013-14 season.  
 
Shortly following Ferron's win, Austin Mansell '16 clinched the victory for Elmira at third singles with a 6-4, 6-3 win.  Mansell's win improves the second-year standout to 4-2 in singles play this season.  
 
Finishing next for the Purple and Gold was Vashakidze, who pulled out two tight sets for the win at first singles, 6-3, 7-6 (4).  Vashakidze trailed 2-3 in the first set but rattled off four straight games to claim the set before forcing a tiebreaker in the second, one in which he would jump out to a 5-1 lead before winning it, 7-4.
 
The final three matches on the court following Vashakidze's win were at second, fourth, and fifth singles.  Keith Bujak '15, Elmira's second singles player, had his most dominant win of the season as he raced to a 6-2, 6-1 finish, his second win of the season.
 
Finishing next was Elmira's lone Class of 2014 member, Sam Pine '14, who picked up a 6-0, 6-2 win at fourth singles.  Pine utilized his powerful serve to dictate today's play as he cruised to his fourth win of the season, improving his record at the fourth singles position to 3-1.
 
Completing the sweep for the Soaring Eagles was second-year netter Satchal Waters '16.  Waters earned a convincing 6-1, 6-1 win at fifth singles, upping record at the fifth spot to 3-1 this season.
 
Elmira will be back on the courts this weekend on Saturday, April 5th when the Soaring Eagles host Utica College in Empire 8 action.  Match-time is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. at the Murray Athletic Center in Pine Valley, NY.  Saturday's match will also be Class of 2014 Recognition Day where the Soaring Eagles will recognize their lone senior, Sam Pine '14.  

Singles competition
1. Pavle Vashakidze (EC) def. Brian Redder (HARTWICK) 6-3, 7-6 (7-4)
2. Keith Bujak (EC) def. Will Gilbraith (HARTWICK) 6-2, 6-1
3. Austin Mansell (EC) def. Liam Brown (HARTWICK) 6-4, 6-3
4. Sam Pine (EC) def. Sean Coppola (HARTWICK) 6-0, 6-2
5. Satchal Waters (EC) def. Jefferson Monastoque (HARTWICK) 6-1, 6-1
6. Scott Ferron (EC) def. Ross Braue (HARTWICK) 6-0, 6-1

Doubles competition
1. Bujak/Pine (EC) def. Redder/Gilbraith (HARTWICK) 8-2
2. Waters/Mansell (EC) def. Brown/Monastoque (HARTWICK) 8-2
3. Vashakidze/Ferron (EC) def. Coppola/O'Connor (HARTWICK) 8-0