MEN'S TENNIS

CASTLETON, Vt. - The Norwich University tennis team won its second straight match on Tuesday afternoon, defeating in-state rival Castleton State, 5-4. It marks the second time this season that the Cadets have defeated the Spartans.

Castleton State (4-3) opened the match by taking two of the three doubles matches. NU's lone win in doubles play came at No. 1 doubles, where Peter Hooper and Matt Sanford teamed up to defeat Jesse Maranda and Jeremy Henderson, 8-3.

The Cadets (4-2) persevered, however, and went on to take four of the six doubles matches to secure the exciting victory. Hooper set the tone at No. 1 singles, as the sophomore from Spartansburg, S.C., quickly dispatched Dan Hodgetts, 6-1, 6-0.

Sanford kept it going at No. 2 singles, as the second-year player downed Maranda in straight sets, 6-4, 7-5. Travis Tyler got Norwich's fourth point of the day with a come-from-behind three-set victory over Ted Panasci at No. 4 doubles (3-6, 6-1, 6-3).

But it was Katie Brammer's thrilling 6-4, 6-7, 6-4 victory at No. 6 singles that propelled the Cadets to the triumph.

Norwich returns to the courts in Shapiro Field House on Saturday, April 12, when the Cadets host Emerson College in a GNAC match. First serve is slated for 1 p.m.

Notes: Norwich defeated Castleton State by an identical 5-4 score on March 19 in the team's season opener at Shapiro Field House ... Hooper remains undefeated in singles play at 6-0 ... he leads the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) with six singles victories ... Hooper and Sanford are now 5-1 at No. 1 doubles this season ... they are currently leading the GNAC with five doubles wins ... Norwich is 3-0 against other Vermont schools, having defeated Castleton State twice and Johnson State once ... NU still has two matches scheduled against in-state rival Lyndon State ... NU is now 3-0 in matches decided by 5-4 scores.

Norwich 5, Castleton 4

Singles

1-Peter Hooper (NU) def. Dan Hodgetts 6-1, 6-0

2-Matt Sanford (NU) def. Jesse Maranda 6-4, 7-5

3-Justin Garritt (CSC) def. Chris Pashley 6-2, 6-2

4-Travis Tyler (NU) def. Ted Panasci 3-6, 6-1, 6-3

5-Jeremy Henderson (CSC) def. Garrett Washburn 7-5, 6-4

6-Katie Brammer (NU) def. Ed Kolnaski 6-4, 6-7, 6-4

Doubles

1-Hooper/Sanford (NU) def. Maranda/Henderson 8-3

2-Garritt/Panasci (CSC) def. Pashley/Tyler 9-7

3-Jamie Cook/Dan Piliero (CSC) def. Washburn/Brammer 8-4