Box Score WEST WINDSOR, N.J. – The No. 1 seeded Fairleigh Dickinson men's tennis team opened its NEC Tournament after receiving a first-round bye with a convincing 4-0 victory over Mount St. Mary's in the NEC Semifinals on Saturday morning from the Mercer County Tennis Center. The Knights got wins in number two and three doubles to earn the doubles point and victories in number one, two, and six singles to clinch a spot in the NEC Championship. 

Next Up
FDU will compete in its first NEC Championship since 2015 when they face No. 2 St. Francis Brooklyn beginning at 10 a.m. from the Mercer County Tennis Center in West Windsor, N.J. FDU beat St. Francis Brooklyn 4-3 when the teams met in the regular season.

Results
Doubles

1. Teodors Pukse/Andris Gudins (FDU) vs. Jackson Wood/Parth Sharma (MSM), 4-4. Unfinished
2. Mehdi Dhouib/Niclas Pietsch (FDU) def. Evan Hine/Marcel Cronin (MSM), 6-2
3. Youssef Sader/Eduardo Cabral (FDU) def. Elliot Stevens/Jarrett Karnibad (MSM), 6-3

Singles

1. Teodors Pukse (FDU) def. Jackson Wood (MSM), 6-1, 6-4
2. Mehdi Dhouib (FDU) def. Elliot Stevens (MSM), 6-2, 6-3
3. Andris Gudins (FDU) vs. Parth Sharma (MSM), 7-5, 1-1, Unfinished
4. Maciej Autuch (FDU) vs. Pablo Zuccardia (MSM), 7-5, 0-1, Unfinished
5. Niclas Pietsch (FDU) vs. Jarrett Karnibad (MSM), 4-6, 6-0, Unfinished
6. Youssef Sader (FDU) def. Nick Huynh (MSM), 6-2, 6-1

How it Happened

• Junior Mehdi Dhouib and senior Youssef Sader each recorded victories in singles and doubles action to help guide FDU to a 4-0 win.
• Dhouib began the day with redshirt junior Niclas Pietsch in number two doubles and recorded a 6-2 win over Evan Hine and Marcel Cronin.
• Sader and fellow senior Eduardo Cabral earned FDU the doubles point with a 6-3 victory in number three doubles against Elliot Stevens and Jarrett Karnibad.
• Sader recorded FDU's first singles win of the day in number six play with a 6-2, 6-1 win over Nick Huynh.
• Sophomore Teodors Pukse got FDU's third point of the morning with a 6-1 win in the first set and a 6-4 victory in set number two over Jackson Wood.
• Dhouib clinched FDU's spot in the NEC Championship with a 6-2, 6-3 victory in number two singles.
• Seniors Andris Gudins and Maciej Autuch were also leading by a set in singles play when Dhouib clinched the win.

"We have a lot of seniors on our team, so we bring that experience to the table."

After top-seeded @FDUKnights reached their first #NECtennis men's final since 2015 with a 4-0 win over Mount, Niclas Pietsch revealed how the team's veteran presence has helped fuel their success. pic.twitter.com/TAE6lt47Pr

— Northeast Conference (@nectennis) April 17, 2021