WEST WINDSOR, N.J.— The No. 3 Sacred Heart University men's tennis team cruised past No. 6 Merrimack, 4-0, in the first round of the Northeast Conference Tournament on Friday.
 
The Pioneers clinched the doubles point with wins from the teams of Lefteri Apostolou/Alberto Mello and Matyas Vencl/Darius Eftekhar.
 
SHU rounded out the match with singles wins from Arya Alla, Matyas Vencl and Alberto Mello. Alla notched the 10^th dual victory of his career.
 
Up next, the Pioneers face No. 2 FDU in the semifinals on Saturday at 9 a.m.
 
Doubles

1. Lefteri Apostolou/Alberto Mello (SHU) def. Aryaan Bhatia/Henrik Lindeman (MC) 6-4
2. Charle Levinson/Antoine Hernandez (SHU) vs Charles Robertson/Valentin Riveros (MC) 5-2 unfinished
3. Matyas Vencl/Darius Eftekhar (SHU) def. Pedro Mancini/Daksh Agarwal (MC) 6-2

 
Order of finish: 3, 1
 
Singles

1. Aryaan Bhatia (MC) vs Lefteri Apostolou (SHU) 7-5, 1-2 unfinished
2. Matyas Vencl (SHU) def. Henrik Lindeman (MC) 6-2, 6-3
3. Alberto Mello (SHU) def. Charles Robertson (MC) 6-2, 6-3
4. Antoine Hernandez (SHU) vs Andrew Singer (MC) 7-5, 2-2 unfinished
5. Darius Eftekhar (SHU) vs Daksh Agarwal (MC) 7-5, 2-2 unfinished
6. Arya Alla (SHU) def. Valentin Riveros (MC) 6-2, 6-0

 
Order of finish: 6, 2, 3