Oct. 7, 2011

ANNAPOLIS, Md. - The Navy men's tennis team picked up victories in all but one of the nine matches it played against UMBC Friday afternoon at the Navy Gold Invitational in Annapolis.

"We just keep improving out there and are pretty good," said Navy head coach John Officer. "We lost to UMBC by the score of 6-1 during the spring season and to come within two points of winning all of the matches today says a lot for how we have improved since then."

The Mids began the day by sweeping the three doubles matches contested against the Retrievers. Marcus Rebersak (Sr., Pittsburgh, Pa.) and Anderson Walls (Jr., Alpharetta, Ga.) won an 8-6 decision over Joe Adewumi and Daniel Gray at No. 1 doubles, Calvin Mark (Fr., Union City, Calif.) and Peter McDonald (Fr., Chapel Hill, N.C.) posted an 8-4 victory over Cristian Hodel and Kamal Patel at No. 2 doubles and Heyward Drayton (So., Valley Forge, Pa.) and Chris Kenney (So., Westlake Village, Calif.) combined for an 8-3 win over Gaulthier Berret and Eric Jarkowski at No. 3 doubles.

Navy would go on to record five straight-set singles victories over UMBC. Nicholas Gutsche (Jr., Sarasota, Fla.) did not drop a game in defeating Jarkowski at No. 6 singles, with Blake Daniel (Fr., Overland Park, Kan.) losing just one game in each of the two sets in defeating Gray at No. 5 singles. Also, McDonald posted a 6-4, 7-5 win over Hodel at No. 2 singles, Mark won a 6-3, 6-2 match over Berret at the No. 3 flight and Burnett tallied a 6-1, 7-5 victory over Patel at No. 4 singles. Burnett trailed by the score of 5-3 in the second set before winning the ensuing five games.

The lone loss of the day for the Mids came at No. 1 singles where Rebersak dropped a 5-7, 6-2, 1-0 (10-8) decision to Adewumi.

"I'm really proud of the guys," said Officer. "They are fighting hard, we have good team spirit, we are poised out there and playing relaxed. I am very pleased with our progress."

Saturday's matches at the invite has the Mids taking on the combined team from George Washington and Morgan State at 9 a.m. and Georgetown facing UMBC at 2 p.m.

Navy vs. UMBC
Doubles
#1 - Marcus Rebersak / Anderson Walls (N) def. Joe Adewumi / Daniel Gray (UMBC), 8-6
#2 - Calvin Mark / Peter McDonald (N) def. Cristian Hodel / Kamal Patel (UMBC), 8-4
#3 - Heyward Drayton / Chris Kenney (N) def. Gaulthier Berret / Eric Jarkowski (UMBC), 8-3
#4 - Blake Daniel / Nicholas Gutsche (N) DNP
Singles
#1 - Joe Adewumi (UMBC) def. Marcus Rebersak (N), 5-7, 6-2, 1-0 (10-8)
#2 - Peter McDonald (N) def. Cristian Hodel (UMBC), 6-4, 7-5
#3 - Calvin Mark (N) def. Gaulthier Berret (UMBC), 6-3, 6-2
#4 - Tyler Burnett (N) def. Kamal Patel (UMBC), 6-1, 7-5
#5 - Blake Daniel (N) def. Daniel Gray (UMBC), 6-1, 6-1
#6 - Nicholas Gutsche (N) def. Eric Jarkowski (UMBC), 6-0, 6-0
#7 - Matt Richmond (N) DNP
#8 - Chris Kenney (N) DNP

George Washington / Morgan State vs. Georgetown
Doubles
#1 - Andrew Bruhn / Charlie Caris (G) def. Richard Blumenfeld / Viktor Svensson (GW), 8-3
#2 - Andrew Dottino / Shane Korber (G) def. Eric Ward / Duk Young-Park (MSU), 8-3
#3 - Casey Distaso / Alex Tropiano (G) def. Aaron Benjamin / Dmitry Chekhlatyy (MSU), 8-3
#4 - John Brosens / Brian Ward (G) def. Jannick Tash / Duwane Thomas (MSU), 8-4
Singles
#1 - Viktor Svensson (GW) def. Andrew Bruhn (G), 2-6, 6-3, 1-0 (10-6)
#2 - Charlie Caris (G) def. Richard Blumenfeld (GW), 6-2, retired (injury)
#3 - Shane Korber (G) def. Eric Ward (MSU), 6-3, 6-3
#4 - Duk Young-Park (MSU) def. Andrew Dottino (G), 6-2, 6-3
#5 - Casey Distaso (G) def. Dmitry Chekhlatyy (MSU), 6-0, 6-4
#6 - Alex Tropiano (G) def. Aaron Benjamin (MSU), 6-0, 6-2
#7 - Brian Ward (G) def. Duwane Thomas (MSU), 6-0, 6-1
#8 - John Brosens (G) def. Jannick Tash (MSU), 6-4, 6-1