March 17, 2008

QUEENS, N.Y. - The St. John's men's tennis team dropped a close match on the road to BIG EAST opponent Georgetown, Saturday, by the score of 4-3, but was able to rebound from the loss to defeat Boston College by the same score. The split left the Red Storm with a 5-6 record overall on the season (0-2 BIG EAST), while the Hoyas, who also defeated B.C. later in the day, improve to 5-10 (1-2 BIG EAST). The two losses dropped the Eagles to 5-9 overall.

Georgetown jumped ahead early in the first match by winning the always-important doubles point with wins at Nos. 1 and 3. For the Red Storm, the team of junior Gustavo Loza and freshman Pavel Cerny picked up an 8-3 win at No. 2, but it was not enough for STJ to take the early advantage.

In singles action, Loza and fellow classmate Artem Vlaskenko won at the top two spots, but a string of victories at the third, fourth and fifth spots gave the Hoyas the match. Freshman Asaf Honig defeated GU's Ted Tywang, 7-5, 6-1, in the No. 6 spot.

Against the Eagles, coach Eric Rebhuhn switched up the order and it worked out for the Red Storm. The teams of Vlasenko/Loza and junior Alex Svetlakov/sophomore Martin Kosut won their doubles matches at Nos. 1 and 2, respectively to give St. John's the early 1-0 lead.

Vlasenko, Kosut and sophomore Derek Wallensteen won their points for the Red Storm at Nos. 1, 3 and 6, respectively, to put the match away for St. John's.

Up next for the men's tennis team are the Quakers of the University of Pennsylvania. The match is set to begin on at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, March 26, in Philadelphia, Pa.

Results
Georgetown 4, St. John's 3
McDonough Tennis Complex
March 15, 2008

Doubles (Georgetown wins the doubles point, leads the match 1-0)
1. Jeffrey Schnell/Adam Gross (GU) def. Artem Vlasenko/Alex Svetlakov (STJ) , 8-5
2. Gustavo Loza/Pavel Cerny (STJ) def. David Tillem/Kevin Walsh (GU), 8-3
3. Ted Tywang/Kenneth Wong (GU) def. Martin Kosut/Derek Wallensteen (STJ) , 8-3

Singles
1. Artem Vlasenko (STJ) def. Jeffrey Schnell (GU), 7-6 (5), 6-3
2. Gustavo Loza (STJ) def. Will Lowell (GU), 6-3, 6-1
3. David Tillem (GU) def. Martin Kosut (STJ) , 7-5, 4-6, 6-1
4. Anthony Tan (GU) def. Pavel Cerny (STJ) , 6-4, 6-2
5. Adam Gross (GU) def. Jordan Talbot (STJ) , 6-2, 6-2
6. Asaf Honig (STJ) def. Ted Tywang (GU), 7-5, 6-1

St. John's 4, Boston College 3
McDonough Tennis Complex
March 15, 2008

Doubles (St. John's wins the doubles point, leads the match 1-0)
1. Artem Vlasenko/Gustavo Loza (STJ) def. Sam Wagner/Brian Garber (BC), 8-3
2. Alex Svetlakov/Martin Kosut (STJ) def. Jason Sechrist/Erik Kreutzer (BC), 8-3
3. Thomas Nolan/Adam Davison (BC) def. Derek Wallensteen/Pavel Cerny (STJ) , 8-5

Singles
1. Artem Vlasenko (STJ) def. Alex Rastorgouev (BC), 7-6, 6-2
2. Thomas Nolan (BC) def. Gustavo Loza (STJ) , 6-4, 6-1
3. Martin Kosut (STJ) def. Erik Kreutzer (BC), 6-4, 3-6, 7-5
4. Jason Sechrist (BC) def. Asaf Honig (STJ) , 7-6, 2-6, 7-5
5. Brendon Wong (BC) def. Jordan Talbot (STJ) , 6-2, 7-6
6. Derek Wallensteen (STJ) def. Michael Vann (BC), 6-4, 6-7, 7-5