Edgewater, NJ
(May 7, 2017) – Powerhouse Yeshiva University is the only program to stand in the way of Purchase College this spring on the tennis courts.
The No. 1 Maccabees, who were the only team to defeat the Panthers during the regular season, accomplished their fourth straight Skyline Conference Championship title Sunday in defeating the No. 2 Panthers, 5-2.
The postseason victory at the Binghamton Racquet Club earns the Macs (15-1, 9-0 Skyline) an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament next week. Purchase concludes its season – its first in the conference title game since 2012 – at 11-2 overall, including 7-2 against the league.
"It was a great season; I'm very proud of our program," said Panther
head coach Peter Nestel, who was named the Purchase College Athletics Coach of the Year at the department's annual awards banquet at the end of April.
"Yeshiva is a terrific program," he added. "We wish them well in the NCAAs."
The Panthers did not go down without a fight.
Purchase trailed 2-1 at the end of doubles, but earned a hard-fought victory at No. 1 behind the senior tandem of
Riley Damerell (SR/Rochester, NY) and
Joseph Troop (SR/Yonkers, NY). The Panthers also nearly pulled it out at No. 3 doubles, but the Macs rallied for an 8-4 final and sweeping Purchase in second doubles.
First and sixth singles would go unfinished due to the championship rule of first team to five points, but the Panthers closed in at 4-2, earning a singles win on the play of rookie standout
Isaac Jones (FR/Ossining, NY). He posted a 6-2, 6-3 win over Mikey Ozery.
YU would earn singles wins at No. 2, No. 4 and No. 5. No. 1 singles player David Papis Elon of YU was named the Most Outstanding Player of the championships.
As for Purchase, the championship loss aside, 2017 is one of the best in recent memory.
"It's difficult to say goodbye to this senior class. Riley, Joe and Danny have meant so much to our program," Nestel said afterward. "It's not an easy day, but again, I'm extremely proud of the way our team performed throughout the spring and in the postseason, and in the effort they gave today."
Yeshiva University 5, Purchase College 2
May 07, 2017 at Edgewater, NJ (Binghamton Racquet Club)
| Singles competition |
| 1. Papis Elon, David (YU-MT) vs. Damerell, Riley (PUR-MTN) 6-4, 5-0, unfinished |
| 2. Rosemblaum, Adam (YU-MT) def. Troop, Joseph (PUR-MTN) 6-3, 6-2 |
| 3. Jones, Isaac (PUR-MTN) def. Ozery, Mikey (YU-MT) 6-2, 6-3 |
| 4. Brik, Lior (YU-MT) def. De La Cruz, Danny (PUR-MTN) 6-0, 6-0 |
| 5. Friedman, Charlie (YU-MT) def. Ham, James (PUR-MTN) 6-1, 6-4 |
| 6. Greenblatt, Daron (YU-MT) vs. Stuart, Finbar (PUR-MTN) 6-3, 2-3, unfinished |
| Doubles competition |
| 1. Damerell, Riley/Troop, Joseph (PUR-MTN) def. Rosemblaum, Adam/Brik, Lior (YU-MT) 9-8 |
| 2. Papis Elon, David/Ozery, Mikey (YU-MT) def. Ham, James/Stuart, Finbar (PUR-MTN) 8-0 |
| 3. Rudansky, Eitan/Wannon, Adam (YU-MT) def. Jones, Isaac/Schmitt, Noah (PUR-MTN) 8-4 |
| Match Notes |
| Purchase College 11-2 |
| Yeshiva University 15-1 |
| T-2:50 A-50 |
