The Bears Look to End the Season on a High Note

Photo: The men’s tennis team has reached the NCAA’s “Sweet Sixteen” for a fifth straight year.

As the academic year winds down, NYIT Athletics enjoyed an exceptional final weekend of April and is preparing for playoffs. Be sure to cheer on the Bears in person at the final home games this spring.

The men’s lacrosse team completed a perfect run through the East Coast Conference (ECC) with a 16-11 win against Mercy College on Saturday, April 29, in Dobbs Ferry, N.Y. The Bears finished the regular season 8-0 in league play and will host an opening-round ECC playoff game on Wednesday, May 3, at 3:30 p.m. at President’s Stadium against LIU Post.

The men’s tennis team won its opening two matches in the NCAA championships, defeating the University of the District of Columbia, 5-1, and host Chestnut Hill College, 5-2. Senior Rafal Charkiewicz closed out the win in the second round by rallying from a 5-2 deficit in the second set. The Bears have now reached the NCAA’s “Sweet Sixteen” for a fifth straight year. They next face Hawaii Pacific in Altamonte Springs, Fla., on May 9.

After the softball team honored its four seniors (Tiffany McCracken, Laura McLaughlin, Madison Smith, and Josie Santagata) on Saturday, April 29, it swept University of Bridgeport to close the regular season on a tear. The Bears won 11 of their final 14 regular-season games to earn a berth in the ECC championship tournament as the No. 3 seed. NYIT faces Molloy College on Thursday, May 4, at host Mercy in the opener of the double-elimination tournament.

Meanwhile, the women’s lacrosse team completed its inaugural regular season with a spirited comeback. The Bears rallied from a five-goal deficit to force overtime at fifth-ranked LIU Post on Saturday, April 29, before falling in the extra period. The defeat denied NYIT a women’s lacrosse conference title, but the Bears earned the No. 2 seed in the ECC playoffs and will host Mercy on Thursday, May 4, at 3:30 p.m. at President's Stadium in a semifinal game.

There are more big games and matches on the way, too. Hoping to duplicate the men’s success, the women’s tennis team begins its NCAA championships run on Tuesday, May 2, at Stonehill College in Easton, Mass. Check out all the latest scores and schedules.