Score: Elmira College 9, Utica College 0
Records: Elmira (1-3, 1-0 E8), Utica (0-1, 0-1 E8)
Location: Murray Athletic Center – Pine Valley, N.Y.
 
PINE VALLEY, N.Y. -- The Elmira College men's tennis team could not have asked for a better start to its Empire 8 Conference schedule, as the Soaring Eagles thumped visiting Utica College by a 9-0 final score at the Murray Athletic Center. EC earned its first win of the 2018 campaign and handed first-year head coach Rob Clayton his first collegiate coaching victory.
 
Today's match was all Elmira right from the start, as the Purple and Gold raced out to a 3-0 lead thanks to a sweep in the doubles matches. Elmira was nothing short of dominant in those contests, winning 24-of-25 games played in the three wins.
 
EC's first doubles duo of Patrick Tracey '18 and Stephen Gervase '20 were 8-0 winners, as was Elmira's second doubles tandem of Jordan Curtis '19 and Frank Endieveri III '21. Rookies Zackarie Stedge '21 and Ravi Chauma '21 rounded out the doubles action with an 8-1 victory at the third spot.
 
Tracey and Gervase continued their assault on the Pioneers in singles action, as the two Soaring Eagles blanked their opponents, 6-0, 6-0, at the No. 1 and No. 2 singles positions, respectively. Curtis surrendered just three games during his match at the No. 3 spot, as he marched away  with his second straight win of the season by a 6-0, 6-3 score.
 
Rookies Stedge, Chauma and Endieveri all earned the first doubles victory of their collegiate careers this afternoon, as each match finished in favor of Elmira in straight sets. Stedge was a 6-2, 6-2 winner at fourth singles, while Chauma eked out a tight 6-4, 7-5 decision at the fifth spot. With the match already decided, a nine-game pro set was played at the sixth position, which was won by EC's Endieveri by a 9-7 final score.

Scores 
Singles
1. Patrick Tracey (ELMIRA) def. Paul Litvak (UTICA) 6-0, 6-0
2. Stephen Gervase (ELMIRA) def. Ben Gilroy (UTICA) 6-0, 6-0
3. Jordan Curtis (ELMIRA) def. Austyn Diller (UTICA) 6-0, 6-3
4. Zackarie Stedge (ELMIRA) def. Christian Carman (UTICA) 6-2, 6-2
5. Ravi Chauma (ELMIRA) def. Garrett Bortiatynski (UTICA) 6-4, 7-5
6. Frank Endieveri III (ELMIRA) def. Alfonzo Whitehurst (UTICA) 9-7
 
Doubles
1. Tracey/Gervase (ELMIRA) def. Litvak/Diller (UTICA) 8-0
2. Curtis/Endieveri III (ELMIRA) def. Gilroy/ Bortiatynski (UTICA) 8-0
3. Stedge/Chauma (ELMIRA) def. Whitehurst/Palmer (UTICA) 8-1
 
Order of finish: Doubles (1,2,3); Singles (2,3,1,4,6,5)
 
News and Notes

• Elmira earned its first win of the 2018 season and is 1-0 in Empire 8 play.
• EC's Coach Clayton registered his first collegiate win this afternoon.
• The Soaring Eagles earned their sixth straight 9-0 victory over Utica.
• The Purple and Gold are 24-6 all-time against Utica.
• Tracey improved to 4-0 in singles matches this year and is unbeaten in his last six matches dating back to last season.  
• Curtis, Endieveri, Stedge and Chauma all earned their first doubles win of the season.
• Endieveri, Stedge and Chauma picked up their first singles win of their collegiate careers.

 
Up Next
Elmira returns to the courts next Saturday, April 7, when the Soaring Eagles travel to Latham, New York, to face the Gators of The Sage Colleges in Empire 8 Conference action. The league bout is slated to begin at 1:00 p.m.