Results

GENEVA, N.Y.—The third-seeded Hobart tennis team cruised to a 5-0 win over No. 6 St. Lawrence in a first round match of the Liberty League Men's Tennis Tournament played on the indoor courts in Bristol Field House at the Caird Center for Sports and Recreation. The Statesmen advance to the tournament semifinal where they will face No. 2 Vassar tomorrow, April 29 at 2 p.m.

With the victory, the Statesmen improved to 17-4, tying the program record for wins in a season. The Saints finished the 2011-12 season with a 2-16 record.

Top-seeded Skidmore will face No. 4 RPI in the other semifinal tomorrow at 10 a.m. The Thoroughbreds defeated No. 8 Bard 5-0 this morning, and the Engineers edged No. 5 RIT 5-4 in the other match this afternoon.

The Statesmen swept doubles play to take a 3-0 lead. Junior Bruce Grant and first-year Michael Fields topped Michael Hayden and Thomas Luchars 8-4 at No. 1. Junior Alex James and senior Matt Hursh downed Matt Burke and Alan Shortz 8-1 and No. 2, and senior Kevin Bates and junior Sam DeLuccia notched an 8-1 victory over Chris Rogers and Tom Timpone at No. 3.

As the matches in the tournament are played until decision, Hobart secured the victory with wins at Nos. 4 and 5. Senior Walter Green defeated Thomas Luchars, 6-3, 6-1 at No. 4, and Hursh cruised to a 6-1, 6-0 triumph over Matt Burke at No. 5.

The Statesmen were ahead at every spot in the lineup when the match reached decision. Grant was ahead 6-4, 2-2 at No. 1, and James held a 6-0, 5-1 lead at No. 2. DeLuccia was up 6-3, 5-1 at No. 3, and Bates was ahead 3-0 at No. 6.