April 20, 2008

Box Score

SWARTHMORE, PA - The #15 Johns Hopkins men's tennis team won its 20th consecutive Centennial Conference match on Sunday with a 7-2 win at Swarthmore. The Blue Jays improve to 13-5 overall and 9-0 in the conference while the Garnet slip to 6-9 overall and 6-2 in the conference. Hopkins secures home court advantage in next weekend's Centennial Conference Tournament with its win.

Hopkins took an early 2-1 lead after wins at second and third doubles and went on to win five of six singles matches. Sophomore David Maldow (Jericho, NY/Jericho Senior) and freshman Andrew Wang (Sparta, NJ/Sparta) won 8-2 at second over Mark Greenburg and JJ England. At third, seniors Rafael Roberti (Summit, NJ/Summit) and Matt Naftilan (Nashville, TN/Montgomery Bell Academy) also won 8-2, beating Mark Wee and Justin diFeliciantonio.

In singles, Maldow won 6-2, 6-4 at first over Jonathan Lo for his 23rd win of the season. Senior Joe Vasoontara (Bangkok, Thailand/Loomis Chaffee) won his third straight in beating Kevin Shaughnessy 6-1, 6-1. Wang won his sixth straight while dropping just one game at third over England. Freshman Casey Blythe (Louisville, KY/Saint Xavier) beat Wee 6-3, 7-5. It is his 19th win of the season, the most in school history by a freshman. Roberti won his seventh straight in a 6-0, 6-3 win over diFeliciantonio at sixth. Greenburg won the lone singles match for Swarthmore with a 6-4, 6-4 win over sophomore Peter Vale (Haverford, PA/Episcopal Academy) at fifth.

Hopkins will host the 2008 Centennial Conference Championship after posting its second consecutive unbeaten conference slate. Both semifinal matches will take place on Saturday, April 26 with the championship match slated for Sunday, April 27.