Final Stats

ANNAPOLIS, Md. - The College of Charleston won three close doubles matches and a trio of straight-set singles matches on its way to recording a 6-1 victory over the Navy men's tennis team Monday afternoon at the Tose Family Tennis Center in Annapolis.

"There were a lot of close sets in doubles," said Navy head coach Chris Garner, "especially at one and three, and even at two the guys had opportunities to come back and make it interesting. Then in singles, their four and five guys played really well. Outside of that, we had opportunities to be in the other matches."

The Cougars (6-3) won each of the doubles matches from the Mids (10-3), but the individual sets were all fairly close ones. After Charleston's No. 1 team of Brice Allanic and Franz Sydow edged Blake Daniel (Sr., Overland Park, Kan.) and Calvin Mark (Sr., Union City, Calif.) by the score of 8-6, the Cougars secured the doubles point when their No. 2 tandem of Charlie Ghriskey and Vasily Kichigin posted an 8-4 win over Thomas Pecor (So., Houston, Texas) and Aries Wong (Fr., Bethesda, Md.).

The remaining match went to a tiebreaker, with Charleston's Rodrigo Encinas and Josh Record outlasting Krishna Jana (So., Seabrook, Texas) and Walker Sims (Fr., Memphis, Tenn.) by the score of 10-8 in the breaker.

Navy tied the match at one point apiece when Mark won a 6-1, 6-1 decision over Encinas at the No. 1 flight.

"Cal obviously did a great job," said Garner. "He was the first guy off the court and played some great tennis."

The Cougars regained the lead when Allanic defeated Daniel by the score of 6-1, 6-2 at No. 2 singles, then built a 3-1 advantage after Zack Lewis recorded a 6-3, 7-5 victory over Wong at No. 5. Kichigin earned the match-clinching fourth point for Charleston with his 6-4, 6-2 win at No. 4 over Sims.

The remaining two matches were decided in three sets. Garrett Gordon notched a 2-6, 6-2, 6-1 victory over Jana at No. 6, and in a marathon match that lasted one hour after the Gordon-Jana match concluded, Ghriskey tallied a 7-6 (7-5), 4-6, 1-0 (10-8) victory over Pecor at the No. 3 flight.

"Today was the first time Krishna really has been in the mix for us at doubles and singles," said Garner, "and he really gave us a lift in both. I was excited to see that."

Navy's only losses this year have been to Old Dominion, UNC Wilmington and the College of Charleston, three teams that have appeared in the national rankings at some point in the first six weeks of the season.

"I do see we are more than capable of being competitive with these (nationally ranked) teams," said Garner. "It is just a couple things that need to turn in our favor for these guys to get over the hump against a team like that. A little belief here, a little understanding of what they need to do to give them a better chance to win; little things like that can change the momentum of a match and help them be successful.

"They are supporting each other well, they are competing well, they are representing the Naval Academy at a high level so I feel they are going in the right direction. We just have to be patient and do the best we can."

Navy will be back in the Tose Family Tennis Center for matches Saturday against Delaware (11 a.m.) and Coppin State (3 p.m.).

College of Charleston (6-3) def. Navy (10-3), 6-1
Doubles - C of C wins the doubles point (1-2-3)
1. Brice Allanic / Franz Sydow (CofC) def. Daniel, Blake / Mark, Calvin (Navy), 8-6
2. Charlie Ghriskey / Vasily Kichigin (CofC) def. Pecor, Thomas / Wong, Aries (Navy), 8-4
3. Rodrigo Encinas / Josh Record (CofC) def. Jana, Krishna / Sims, Walker (Navy), 9-8 (10-8)
Singles (1-2-5-4-6-3)
1. Mark, Calvin (Navy) def. Rodrigo Encinas (CofC) 6-1, 6-1
2. Brice Allanic (CofC) def. Daniel, Blake (Navy), 6-1, 6-2
3. Charlie Ghriskey (CofC) def. Pecor, Thomas (Navy), 7-6 (7-5), 4-6, 1-0 (13-11)
4. Vasily Kichigin (CofC) def. Sims, Walker (Navy), 6-4, 6-2
5. Zack Lewis (CofC) def. Wong, Aries (Navy), 6-3, 7-5
6. Garrett Gordon (CofC) def. Jana, Krishna (Navy), 2-6, 6-2, 6-1