Portland, ME - Trailing #2 seed Thomas College 4-2, the top seeded Northern Vermont University-Lyndon men's tennis team won four straight singles matches to come away with a 5-4 victory and capture their first ever North Atlantic Conference Championship at Apex Racquet and Fitness on Sunday afternoon.  The Hornets, 4-2 on the season, were making only their second appearance in the championship match.

Thomas grabbed the early advantage in the championship match by taking two of three doubles contests.  At first doubles the Terrier duo of Jose Afonso and Liam Gould picked up an 8-3 win over Lyndon's Patrick Wickstrom (Lafayette, LA) and Neal Mulligan (Marshfield, VT).  The Thomas number three team of Carter Fogarty and Rajhan Munnings downed the Hornets' Ken Niemann (AuSable Forks, NY) and Garrick Webster (Terryville, VT), 8-2.  Lyndon picked up a point at second doubles, as Quinlan Peer (Saranac Lake, NY) and Zach Falkenburg (Bridgeport, NY) overcame Princiel Kunieki and Jason Hamilton, 8-3.

Thomas looked to be in command following the first two singles matches to be completed.  Alfonso defeated Wickstrom 6-3, 6-0 in the first flight and Hamilton was a 6-2, 6-3 winner over Niemann at third singles, giving the Terriers a 4-1 lead.

Needing to win all four remaining singles flights, the Hornets got a pair of very tightly contested wins at second and fourth singles.  Mulligan outlasted Gould, 7-5, 6-4 at two, and Falkenburg got past Kunieki, 6-4, 6-4 at four.

The Hornets pulled even at 4-4 when Peer downed Fogarty, 6-0, 6-4 at fifth singles.  That meant that the match came down to the last flight being competed, sixth singles, where Webster was able to cruise past Munnings, 6-3, 6-1, to give the Hornets the match and the championship.  Webster was named the Championship Most Valuable Player for his clinching victory.

Veteran Lyndon head coach Laura Laramee sung the praises of her team. "I am so very proud how far they have come in such a short time.  They had to overcome starting later than usually with only a few matches.  One of the best teams to coach, ever.  The dedication, determination, and true team spirit is so visible when you spend just a minute with them.  It makes coaching a dream come true."

The NAC and the North Eastern Athletic Conference have partnered in men's tennis since 2010, with NAC teams competing as associate members of the NEAC.  By winning the NAC Championship the Hornets are also NEAC East Division champions and will compete against NEAC (West) champion Lancaster Bible College.  That match will take place next weekend, time and location to be announced.  The winner of the Lyndon-Lancaster match will earn automatic qualification to the NCAA Division III Men's Tennis Championship,