Longmellow, MA... The College of New Jersey men's tennis team swept all three points in doubles play as the Lions dispatched of Babson College on Thursday in the first round of the NCAA Division III Tournament in Longfellow, MA.
 
With Pierce Cooper's (Moorestown, NJ/Moorestown) fifth singles triumph clinching the win, the Lions (15-1) advance to meet host Amherst College in second-round play Friday at 9 a.m.
 
Babson concludes its season at 11-9 after Roberto Perez earned the Beavers' lone point with a win at first singles Thursday.
 
The Lions jumped out to a quick start at second doubles as TJ Riley (Mt. Laurel, NJ/Moorestown) and Jack August (Medford, NJ/Home schooled) set down Perez and Victor Vu, 8-3. The No. 1s contest stayed close at the start, with Babson's Ramone Doyley and Connor DeFiore drawing within one at 4-3 before Marc Nichols (Lawrenceville, NJ/Princeton) and Howard Telson (Edison, NJ/J.P. Stevens) eventually pulled away for the 8-5 win and a 2-0 TCNJ lead.
 
With all eyes turning to the conclusion of third doubles, Beavers Mitchell Henry and Saif Rahim rallied from a 5-4 deficit, breaking to go up 6-5 then holding serve to 8-7. But Jordan Cruz (Manasquan, NJ/Christian Brothers Academy) and Cooper notched the key break to even the count and were too strong in the tiebreak, winning the final two points after Babson had tied it 5-5 as the Lion No. 3s completed the comeback 9-8 (7-5) win for a 3-0 TCNJ lead heading into singles competition.
 
Cruz built the Lion cushion to 4-0 as he powered to a 6-3, 6-3 win at sixth singles over Babson's Davin Garcia, but the Beavers notched their lone point moments later when Perez completed his triumph over Nichols at No. 1, 6-2, 6-2.
 
With second and third singles each heading to a third set, Henry prolonged the match for Babson at No. 4, rallying from a 40-5 hole on match point to break first-set winner Telson and even the second at 5-5. The Lions would not be denied for long, however, as Cooper rallied from a 3-2 deficit early in the second set to complete a 7-5, 6-3 clincher at No. 5 over DeFiore.
 
In unfinished action, Riley dropped the opener to Vu at No. 2, 6-4, but took the second 6-3 before the match ended with the pair tied 1-1 in the rubber contest. At third singles, Doyley dropped the opener to August 6-2 but came on strong late in the second, rallying from a 5-4 hole to win 7-5 for the split. August led the third set 1-0 upon the match's conclusion while Telson and Henry remained tied 5-5 in the second after Telson had won the opener 6-4.
 
The College of New Jersey 5, Babson College 1
Singles competition
1. Roberto Perez (BAB) def. Marc Nichols (TCNJ) 6-2, 6-2
2. TJ Riley (TCNJ) vs. Victor Vu (BAB) 4-6, 6-3, unfinished
3. Jack August (TCNJ) vs. Ramone Doyley (BAB) 6-2, 5-7, unfinished
4. Howard Telson (TCNJ) vs. Mitchell Henry (BAB) 6-4, unfinished
5. Pierce Cooper (TCNJ) def. Connor DeFiore (BAB) 7-5, 6-3
6. Jordan Cruz (TCNJ) def. Davin Garcia (BAB) 6-3, 6-3
Doubles competition
1. Marc Nichols/Howard Telson (TCNJ) def. Ramone Doyley/Connor DeFiore (BAB) 8-5
2. TJ Riley/Jack August (TCNJ) def. Roberto Perez/Victor Vu (BAB) 8-3
3. Jordan Cruz/Pierce Cooper (TCNJ) def. Mitchell Henry/Saif Rahim (BAB) 9-8 (7-5) 

Amherst SID Office Contributed to this report.