Elmira College (7-6, 1-1 E8) vs. #23 Stevens Institute of Technology (7-6, 2-0 E8) | Saturday, April 9, 2016 | 10:00 A.M.
Elmira College (7-6, 1-1 E8) vs. SUNY Delhi (2-1) | Sunday, April 10, 2016 | 1:00 P.M.
Murray Athletic Center Tennis Dome – Pine Valley, NY
 
Elmira, NY -- The Elmira College men's tennis team continues its 2016 campaign this weekend with a pair of matches at the Murray Athletic Center Tennis Dome. Elmira welcomes the 23rd-ranked Stevens Institute of Technology Ducks for an Empire 8 bout on Saturday, April 9th, at 10:00 a.m., before squaring off with the Broncos of SUNY Delhi the following day at 1:00 p.m.
 
Last Time Out
The Soaring Eagles were hoping to earn their third straight win when the squad traveled to Pittsford, NY, this past Sunday evening to battle Nazareth College in Empire 8 action. Elmira dug itself an early hole by dropping all three doubles matches, but the Purple and Gold rallied in singles action with four wins to level the score at 4-4. Unfortunately, Elmira's comeback came to end shortly after, as Nazareth's Tyler Williams pulled out the victory in three sets at first singles to clinch the Golden Flyer win.
 
Tracey's One Win Away
Second-year talent Patrick Tracey '18 has been playing some of the best singles of his collegiate career this spring. Tracey has won five straight entering this weekend's matches, giving the Bardonia, NY, native 10 singles victories on the season. His 10 wins in singles are tied for the most in single-season program history with former EC great Gabe Cortes '11.
 
Mansell & Waters Reach 60
 Elmira's senior captains Austin Mansell '16 and Satchal Waters '16 each won three matches over the weekend, putting the two in a class of their own in the EC record books. Waters collected win number 60 against Utica on Saturday, making him the first player in program history to do so; Waters sits on 62 total wins entering this weekend's matches. Mansell's singles win over Nazareth on Sunday brought his career total to 60, making the West Lebanon, NH, native and his classmate Waters the only two Soaring Eagles in program history to reach the 60-win plateau.
 
Scouting Stevens
The Ducks own a 7-6 overall record heading into the weekend, which in itself is not overly impressive until you look at the quality of opponents Stevens has faced. Of the team's 13 matches, eight have been played against nationally-ranked opponents, with the Ducks going 3-5 in those matches with wins over No. 22 North Carolina Wesleyan, No. 31 Swarthmore, and No. 27 Brandeis. The 23rd-ranked Ducks are 2-0 in conference play thus far, with E8 wins over Alfred University and Houghton College. Stevens is led by three-time Empire 8 Player of the Year Matthew Heinrich, who holds down the top singles and doubles positions and has logged a total of 14 wins in 2015-16. The two-time ITA All-American is Stevens' all-time career wins leader with close to 90 victories and is second in program history in doubles win.
 
Scouting SUNY Delhi
The Broncos are 2-1 entering the weekend with victories over Culinary Institute of America and The Sages Colleges. Max Fontana holds down the top two spots for the SUNY Delhi and owns a 4-2 record in dual matches this season. He heads into this Sunday's clash with the Soaring Eagles having won his previous four matches.
 
Looking Ahead
Following this weekend's matches, Elmira returns to the courts on Friday, April 15th, when the Soaring Eagles travel to face E8 foe Houghton College. The opening serve is scheduled for 4:00 p.m.