SALEM, Mass.- The University of Massachusetts Dartmouth will have two tennis teams participating in next weekend's NCAA Division III Championships.

The Corsair men's team will join the women's team at the NCAAs next week by virtue of their 5-2 victory over host Salem State in the Little East Conference championship match at the Salem State Tennis Courts Saturday. It will be the first trip to the NCAA Tournament for either of the UMD tennis teams.

The Corsairs got off to a good start by sweeping the doubles for only the sixth time in 13 matches. Freshmen Troy Pandolfi (Danbury, Conn.) and freshman Karsten Rathlev (Winchester, Mass.) overcame a 7-6 deficit to defeat Adrian Maloose and Rob Random at number one doubles, 9-7, and give UMD a sweep of the doubles. Sophomore Mason Viau (Marion, Mass.) and senior Christoph Forster (Reading, Mass.) downed Alex Eisath and Josh DaSilva at number two doubles, 8-3, and junior Ken Sims (Chelmsford, Mass.) and freshman Brian Lui (Medfield, Mass.) defeated Johan DaSilva and Josh Giller at number three doubles, 8-5.

Giller put the Vikings on the board when he defeated Forster at number four singles, 7-5, 6-1, and Malosse defeated Viau at number one, 6-1, 6-4. But the Corsairs clinched the match when Rathlev defeated Eisath at number three, 7-5, 6-0, and Sims downed Zach Leete at number five, 6-2, 6-4.

"We played super in the doubles, and that's really what did it," said UMass Dartmouth Head Coach Tom Mendell. "This match was very important to us today because we had lost to them earlier in the season. Everyone played super today."

With the victory, the Corsairs earned a berth in the NCAAs. "This is the first team from UMass Dartmouth to ever qualify for the NCAA Tournament, and is one of the better teams that we have had in many years," said Mendell.

UMass Dartmouth improved to 12-1 with the victory, while Salem State fell to 8-4 with the defeat. UMD will find out its next match when pairings and sites for the NCAA Tournament are announced Monday. Play will commence Friday. The match was the final competition of the season for Salem State.

                                                         UMASS DARTMOUTH TENNIS