The Suffolk University Mock Trial Team (SUMTT) has much to celebrate after completing the Fall Invitational Tournaments.

At the first tournament at the University of New Hampshire, SUMTT President Ben Chertok received the prestigious Most Outstanding Attorney award, earning a perfect score on his prosecution, and a near perfect score on defense. SUMTT also won first place overall at the event.

Sophomore Jonah Strassler, a witness for the team, said, “I would say [the tournament] went really well. We were probably the underdogs but everyone worked hard and it paid off…sort of a classic dream team story.”

This year’s SUMTT team has been the only at Suffolk to compete in the Ivy League and top tier community, and have had some fantastic results with these past three tournaments.

At the second tournament, at Brandeis University, Chertok won another Most Outstanding Attorney with a perfect ranking on defense, to continue with his excellent streak.

The group is full of aspirational students like Suffolk sophomore Elainy Mata, a witness and the assistant to the president.

“The way that the season has gone, it has definitely exceeded my expectations of how much we thought we would achieve to what we actually did achieve,” she said. “I couldn’t have asked for a better way to start and end the fall season.”

Mata brought home the Most Outstanding Witness award from the final tournament at Tufts. Chertok once again received Most Outstanding Attorney at Tufts, earning a near perfect score on prosecution and SUMTT once again landed in first place.

For those unfamiliar with Invitational Tournament procedures, the events consist of three separate tournaments, that each last for a full weekend.

Freshman Trenton Barnard, who is the second chair prosecution attorney, said, “They were not only very insightful of the talent and dedication of the team, but a confirmation of my career pathway.” This team has been consistently successful.

Sophomore Annemarie Mance, a witness on SUMTT, said, “Our hard work paid off and I’m proud of my teammates.”

SUMTT went up against competitor schools such as Amherst, Brandeis, Boston College, Boston University, Brown, Cornell, Dartmouth, Fordham, Princeton, University of Pennsylvania, University of New Hampshire, Tufts, Wellesley, and Yale.

Freshman Arefin Mohiuddin, SUMTT’s third chair defense attorney, said, “We’re just getting started. In a truly fantastic year for SUMTT, they not only managed to create personal success, they were the definition of perfect ambassadors for Suffolk.”

“Since middle school I have loved mock trial, more and more each year, through my ten years I’ve never seen a team grow at such a rapid rate,” said Chertok. “It’s amazing to me that just a couple weeks ago these kids didn’t even know what mock trial was, and now after tireless hours of dedication and hard work, they’re on their way to becoming such powerful litigators.”

“I am so proud of everyone on my competitive team… and thankful for a fantastic fall semester, and excited for what is going to be a truly spectacular remainder of the 2013-2014 mock trial year.”