By Jim Fenton

BRIDGEWATER, Mass. -- The Bridgewater State University men's tennis team went through a brand new experience two years ago this week.

The Bears made the program's debut in the NCAA Division III tournament after earning the automatic bid by winning their first Little East Conference championship.

BSU had a team full of newcomers to the NCAA tourney as the Bears boarded a bus and headed nearly four hours north to Middlebury, Vt.

The team soaked in the atmosphere of being part of the national tourney and lost to No. 25 MIT, 5-0, in the opening round.

It was eye-opening, so much different than a run-of-the-mill regular-season match back home.

"I think there's a happy-to-be-there sense the first time, coming off a conference championship, which isn't a regular occurence at Bridgewater State in tennis," said coach David Purpura. "The first one two years ago, we got some experience when we went up to Middlebury. Let's learn from it, let's grow from it."

That opportunity comes this week when BSU makes a second trip to the NCAAs, this time in Brunswick, Maine on the campus of Bowdoin College.

The Bears will face No. 24 Skidmore College of Saratoga Springs, N.Y., on Friday at 3 p.m.

Four players who were on the team in '24 are back for a second chance in the NCAAs and they are looking forward to the opportunity.

Senior captains Adam Beatrice (Rockland, Mass.) and Ryan Hebert (Taunton, Mass.), junior Tom Ayson (Plymouth, Mass.) and senior Tyler Barros (Somerset, Mass.) learned all about life in the NCAAs two years ago.

Now, they are part of a team that won a second Little East title in three years after defeating Rhode Island College, 4-3, last weekend.

"It's a great experience being able to go up there and see the different levels of tennis and that we were able to be part of it," said Beatrice, who plays No. 2 singles. "Just to experience the overnight (trip) and hanging out with everyone and seeing all the other teams practice and play next to you, it's fun."

BSU will travel to Maine on Thursday, practice at Bowdoin and have a team dinner before playing Skidmore on Friday.

It is the same routine the Bears went through on their '24 trip to Vermont, so the four players will be able to pass on what they learned to the rest of the team.

"It was cool," said Hebert, the No. 6 singles player. "It was nice to be up there and with our team. We got to spend a couple days together.

"It was somewhat different playing such a high-level team. The outcome wasn't what we wanted, but it was a good time."

The trip to Vermont and competing against MIT was something that the Bears will remember, even though it resulted in a loss.

"It was the first time in school history, so it was really cool to go up there and face MIT,'' said Barros. "It was great. It was definitely a whole different atmosphere. They were one of the best teams and the toughest team we faced.

"But it was a great opportunity. I think it'll help the team a lot now. It's the second time, so now we have experience and know what we're going into."

The match with MIT began outdoors but quickly was moved inside to the Nelson Recreation Center because of rain.

MIT won the three doubles matches then added two wins in singles to clinch the win.

Beatrice played No. 2, Ayson Was No. 3 and Hebert was No. 6 against MIT while Beatrice and Ayson were at No. 1 doubles while Hebert played No. 3 doubles.

"It was a different level of play," said Ayson. "I can say I've never been humbled like I did playing those guys. But it was a lot of fun being there."

The Bears finished '24 with a 9-5 record and like this season went 6-0 in the Little East.

The current team is 12-4 and has won 10 straight matches, the last loss coming in late March.

The schedule this season included talented non-conference teams like Wheaton College, Brandeis University and Roger Williams, which is also playing in Maine this week.

"I think we're a lot better prepared this time," said Hebert. "We played teams this year like Brandeis and Roger Williams that are very strong teams and bring a lot of energy. We're going to bring that."

Said Ayson, "We have a lot more experience. We have more exposure to high-level tennis and high-level matches."

The Bears were hoping for a return trip to the NCAAs in 2025, but they lost to RIC in the championship match and fell one win short.

Now that second chance has arrived, and the Bears are looking to put their '24 experience to use.

"This year is definitely different," said Beatrice. "It's not as nerve wracking only because we know how good everyone is.

"It is still another match. Everyone is going up there to win. It's definitely fun and the experience will help, knowing the schedule, knowing the routine we'll go through."

Said Purpura, "Now I think some of the sparkle of being on an overnight trip in Maine will go away. The reality is we have a really good team to play in Skidmore, high-level tennis."