NEWBURGH, N.Y. – The Mount Saint Mary College men's tennis team opened the 2011-12 season with an 8-1 victory over Bard College on Tuesday evening.  The match was the first for the men's team at the newly lit tennis facility on the Mount's campus.

The Knights snagged a 2-1 lead after the doubles competition, picking up wins at first and third doubles.  Sophomores Greg Jacob (Ridgefield, Conn.) and Stat Willand (Sparta, N.J.) held on for a 9-7 win in the first slot, while senior Zach Conlon (Huntington, N.Y.) teamed with freshman Nate Dimmie (Middletown, N.Y.) for an 8-4 win at third.

Mount Saint Mary would be tested throughout the singles lineup, but managed to pull out all six matches.  At first singles, Jacob held serve twice in a row to force a first set tiebreak, which he would win, 7-5.  Jacob went on to claim the second set, 6-3.  Willand dropped the opening set at second singles, but rallied to win the next two, 6-0 and 6-3.

Senior Nate Ahlberg (Catskill, N.Y.) rolled to a 6-2, 6-3 win at third singles, while Dimmie edged his opponent at fourth by a margin of 7-6 (8-6), 6-4.  Senior Mike McNicholas (Marlboro, N.Y.) dominated a 6-1, 6-0 match at fifth and Conlon nailed down a 6-3, 7-5 win at sixth singles to complete the sweep.

The Knights head to the spring season with a mark of 1-0.