NEW LONDON, Conn. – The Lynx took a 5-4 final decision over the Mitchell College men's tennis team  on Thursday afternoon in New England Collegiate Conference action at the Mitchell Tennis Courts.

The Lynx (2-3 overall, 1-2 NECC) picked up their first-ever conference victory over the Mariners (2-3 overall, 1-2 NECC) by winning two of three doubles matches and three of six singles matches. Thomas Tedesco (Bristol, Conn./Bristol Eastern) led the way for Lesley by earning two points on the day, winning at No. 2 doubles and No. 3 singles.

Playing without their top player due to illness, the Mariners were forced to play a number of players out of position. Freshman Graham Cavanaugh (Redding, Conn./Forman School) stepped up to the challenge, picking up wins at both No. 1 doubles and No. 2 singles for the first time this year.

Tedesco and Alex Zhitnik (West Hartford, Conn./Conard) teamed up for an 8-2 win at No. 2 doubles, and the duo of Roman Pham (Lynnfield, Mass./Lynnfield) and Jordan Santos (Middlebury, Conn./Pomperaug) posted an 8-3 victory at No. 3. Mitchell salvaged a doubles point at the top position, as Cavanaugh and Zachary Simmons (Coventry, Conn./Coventry/East Catholic) pulled out an 8-3 win.

The teams split the first two singles matches of the day, with Lesley's Mike Kaufman (Boca Raton, Fla./American Heritage) cruising to a 6-0, 6-0 win at the No. 4 spot. Mitchell responded by winning at No. 2 as Cavanaugh rolled to a 6-2, 6-0 victory.

The Lynx picked up a critical point at No. 3 singles when Tedesco fought off a Randy Coons (Yonkers, N.Y./Brewster) for a 7-5, 6-3 win. The two were tied in the first set before Tedesco rallied to win two straight games to take the set. His victory put Lesley up 4-2 with three matches still left undecided out on the court.

Lesley sealed the match when Nick Mattox (Pasadena, Md./Chesapeake) hung on for a three-set victory over Simmons at the No. 1 position. Mattox took the first set 6-3 before Simmons rallied back for a 6-4 win in the second set. Mattox then regained his composure and reeled off six straight games to win the final set 6-0.

Mitchell's Tim Atkinson (Fall River, Mass./Bishop Stang) and Chris McKeon (North Scituate, R.I./Scituate) each picked up wins in straight sets at the No. 5 and 6 singles spots, respectively.

Mitchell returns to action at Becker College on Saturday, April 6 at 1 p.m. Lesley will next host Becker on Friday, April 5 at 7 p.m.