AMHERST, MA – In one of the tightest matches of the year, the Wilkes University men's tennis team used a win at No. 6 singles to clinch a 5-4 victory over Nichols College in the first round of the NCAA Tournament Friday afternoon at Bay Road Tennis Club hosted  by Amherst College.
 
Wilkes moved to 15-6 overall following the tournament victory and advanced to the second round for the fifth consecutive season. Nichols saw its season end with a 15-7 overall record.
 
Braddock Chow (Glen Cove, NY/Glen Cove) and Mike Ellis (Phoenixville, PA/Phoenixville) began the match with an 8-6 win at No. 3 doubles before Nichols tied it up with a victory at No. 2 pairs (8-6). Andrew MacDonald (Bridgeton, NJ/Cumberland Regional) and Courtney Murphy (Bronx, NY/Christopher Columbus) pushed Wilkes ahead 2-1 after doubles play securing an 8-5 win at No. 1.
 
Jonathan White (Saylorsburg, PA/Pleasant Valley) was the first Colonel finisher in singles play taking his match in straight sets 6-3, 6-1 as Wilkes held a 3-1 advantage. Murphy made it 4-1 with a 6-3, 6-1 victory at No. 1 before three straight wins for Nichols tied the match at 4-4 with just No. 6 singles left to finish.
 
From there Ellis clinched the win for Wilkes earning a 6-4, 6-1 victory sending the Colonels into the second round of the tournament.
 
Wilkes will meet No. 4 Amherst in the second round of the tournament tomorrow (Saturday) at 12:00 p.m.