ITHACA, N.Y. – The Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) men's tennis team battled in a tightly contested Liberty League Championship First Round matchup, ultimately falling to #54 Ithaca by a 4-3 score at the Reis Tennis Center.
The Engineers opened the match with a strong showing in doubles play, claiming the point with victories at the first and third positions. At No. 1 doubles,
Tasmay Shah and
Tsubasa Okada outlasted their opponents in a tightly contested match, earning a 7-6 (9-7) victory. RPI added another win at No. 3 doubles, where
Gustave Viennet and
Sid Srinivasan secured a 6-3 decision, while Ithaca picked up the lone doubles win at No. 2.
In singles play, RPI earned two victories but was edged by Ithaca's depth across the lineup. At the top position, Okada delivered a dominant performance, winning 6-1, 6-4 to give the Engineers a key point.
Felix Puyplat added the second singles win at No. 6, battling through a competitive match to earn a 7-6 (7-2), 6-4 victory.
Several other matches were closely contested, including at No. 2 singles where Shah pushed his opponent through a tightly played opening set before the match swung in the final two sets. Ithaca ultimately secured wins at the second through fifth positions to clinch the match and advance to the semifinals.
