George Washington University
Drake University
Men's Tennis Splits Doubleheader Action on Saturday
1/21/2017 12:00:00 AM | Men's Tennis
DES MOINES, IA - The George Washington men's tennis team wrapped its opening weekend of play with a doubleheader split at Drake University, falling to the host Bulldogs to start the day before bouncing back to defeat Northern Illinois.
The Colonials (2-1) posted a 5-2 defeat of NIU, jumping out to an early lead after winning the doubles point. The pair of senior Julius Tverijonas and junior Chris Reynolds claimed a 6-2 victory at the top spot and the duo of freshman William Tutecky and junior Jabari Stafford secured the early point with a hard-fought 7-6 (7-5) triumph at No. 3.
In singles play, Tverijonas battled to a 7-6 (8-6), 6-2 win at No. 1 as Reynolds followed at No. 2 with a 6-3, 7-5 victory.
Rookie Dennis Afanasev downed his fourth-flight opponent, 6-3, 6-1, and freshman Jakub Behun took a straight-set win in his solo debut, 6-2, 7-5, at the No. 5 spot to put the match out of reach for the Huskies.
NIU grabbed a pair of points after taking the Nos. 3 and 6 bouts.
Earlier in the day, the Colonials fell, 6-1, to host Drake.
In doubles action against Drake, the pair of senior Fernando Sala and junior Christos Hadjigeorgiou claimed a 7-6 (7-2) victory at the No. 2 position, but the Colonials fell in first and third-flight action to drop the doubles point.
In singles play Drake clinched the victory with straight-set wins at the Nos. 4, 6 and 1 positions. The Colonials prevented the shutout as junior Chris Fletcher came from behind to take a 2-6, 7-6, 1-0 (10-6) triumph in third-flight action to close the day as the Bulldogs took matches at the Nos. 5 and 2 slots.
The Buff and Blue next visit Austin Peay on Jan. 27 and Middle Tennessee State on Jan. 28.
GW 5, Northern Illinois 2
Doubles
1. Tverijonas/Reynolds (GW) def. Marbach/Lundkvist (NIU) 6-2
2. Muzar/Hjertonsson (NIU) def. Sala/Hadjigeorgiou (GW) 7-5
3. Tutecky/Stafford (GW) def. Manzanas/Hamel (NIU) 7-6 (7-5)
Singles
1. Julius Tverijonas (GW) def. Eric Marbach (NIU) 7-6 (8-6), 6-2
2. Chris Reynolds (GW) def. Georg Lundkvist (NIU) 6-3, 7-5
3. Bor Schweiger Muzar (NIU) def. Chris Fletcher (GW) 6-1, 6-4
4. Dennis Afanasev (GW) def. Tom Hjertonsson (NIU) 6-3, 6-1
5. Jakub Behun (GW) def. Carlos Manzanas (NIU) 6-2, 7-5
6. Louis-Philippe Hamel def. Jabari Stafford (GW) 6-4, 6-4
Drake 6, GW 1
Doubles
1. Gillespie/MacGeoch(DU) def. Tverijonas/Reynolds (GW) 6-2
2. Sala/Hadjigeorgiou (GW) def. Stride/Thorold (DU) 7-6 (7-2)
3. Clark/Hands (DU) def. Fletcher/Behun (GW) 6-3
Singles
1. #73 Vinny Gillespie (DU) def. Julius Tverijonas (GW) 6-3, 6-4
2. Calum MacGeoch (DU) def. Chris Reynolds (GW) 7-6, 2-6, 1-0 (10-7)
3. Chris Fletcher (GW) def. Ben Stride (DU) 2-6, 7-6 (7-5), 1-0 (10-6)
4. Tom Hands (DU) def. Dennis Afanasev (GW) 6-2, 6-1
5. Ben Clark (DU) def. William Tutecky (GW) 6-2, 4-6, 1-0 (10-6)
6. Ben Wood (DU) def. C. Hadjigeorgiou (GW) 6-0, 7-5
Players Mentioned
