FARMINGDALE, N.Y. - The Purchase College men's tennis season came to an end Thursday evening, as the Panthers lost to Farmingdale State, 5-4, in the Skyline Conference Semifinals. 

Box Score

While the contest finished Thursday night, it actually began Wednesday afternoon with the doubles matches, before it was suspended due to rain and pushed to Thursday. The Rams of Farmingdale took two of the three matchups to start the contest, but all three were tight finishes. 

Matthew Waterhouse (FR/Massapequa Park, NY) and Austin Schmitt (JR/Hilton, NY) suffered an 8-6 loss at the No. 2 spot, while the No. 3 pair of Finbar Stuart (SR/Woodstock, NY) and James Ham (JR/Rye, NY) fell, 8-7.

The duo of Courage Crawford (FR/Larchmont, NY) and Isaac Jones (JR/Ossining, NY) kept Purchase in the contest with an 8-7 win in the No. 1 spot, before the rain became too much. 

Following the 24-hour delay, the Panthers started Thursday off on the right foot, as Jones took the No. 2 singles match, 6-1, 6-2. After Ham lost in the No. 4 matchup, Stuart tied the contest at 3-3, with his 6-4, 7-6 victory. 

The Rams were able to jump back in front, 4-3, when No. 1 Mark Baker (FR/North Baldwin, NY), their freshman sensation, topped Purchase's freshman star, Crawford, 6-3, 6-3. However, Schmitt was able to knot things back up at 4-4, with his win in the No. 6 spot, leaving just one contest to decide the match.

That came courtesy of the No. 3 battle, as Waterhouse was eventually toppled by his opponent in three sets, 2-6, 6-3, 6-0. 

Despite the loss, the season as a whole showed just how much the team had improved since last year. After winning just four games in 2018, Purchase bounced back with six more wins in 2019, finishing 10-3 overall and 5-2 in conference play.

The future remains bright for the men's tennis program as well, as the six of the nine players from 2019 are set to return in 2020, including five players that played in the playoff game. 

Farmingdale 5, Purchase 4

Doubles:
1. Crawford/Jones (P) def. Baker/Steven Gaudio 8-7
2. Daniel Kafka/Malik Bass (F) def. Waterhouse/Schmitt 8-6
3. Bradley Maslak/Chris Molchan (F) def. Stuart/Ham 8-7

Singles:
1. Baker (F) def. Crawford 6-3, 6-3
2. Jones (P) def. Gaudio 6-1, 6-2
3. Kafka (F) def. Waterhouse 2-6, 6-3, 6-0
4. Bass (F) def. Ham 6-1, 6-1
5. Stuart (P) def. Maslak 6-4, 7-6
6. Schmitt (P) def. Molchan 6-4, 7-5