For Immediate Release: May 1, 2005
Contact: John Hartrick (hartrick@binghamton.edu)
Phone: 607-777-6800

Binghamton men's tennis defeats Stony Brook 4-3 to capture America East title
Bearcats win third straight conference crown, are headed back to NCAAs

NEW HAVEN, Conn. - Riding a new set of heroes, top-seeded Binghamton (21-5) won its third straight America East championship, edging No. 2 Stony Brook 4-3 in the title match played indoors Sunday at the Connecticut Tennis Center. The Bearcats will again carry the conference banner into the NCAA Division I Championship. Regional play begins on May 13 or 14.

"It was the highest quality match these two teams have ever played against each other," head coach Michael Starke said. "The level of respect and sportsmanship was tremendous."

The Bearcats captured the pivotal doubles point before the teams split the six singles matches. The doubles point came down to the match at No. 3, where juniors Richemn Mourad (Sao Paulo, Brazil) and Edwin Gerard (Bayside, N.Y.) posted a 9-7 win. The pair broke serve at 7-7 and then Mourad held serve to clinch the win and the team point.

Earlier, sophomore Dan Hanegby (Herzliya, Israel) and freshman Faisal Mohamed (Lynbrook, N.Y.) steamrolled a very strong Stony Brook duo of Jan Krejci and Tal Meir, 8-3, at No. 1.

In singles, Mohamed was first off the court with a decisive 6-3, 6-3 win. After Stony Brook captured matches at first and third singles, the team score was deadlocked at 2-2. The Seawolves were well ahead at fifth singles, meaning BU would have to capture the remaining matches at No. 2 and No. 6 to pull out the win. Mourad responded at No. 2, ralling from a set down to score a 1-6, 6-3, 6-4 victory.

"Richemn (Mourad) and Faisal (Mohamed) were our heroes," Starke said. "Faisal played out of his mind in doubles. He played with so much spirit and heart. And then he was a man possessed in singles, attacking and fighting. And the way Richemn fought back after dropping the first set was unbelievable. He held serve every time in the third set."

Junior Brian O'Connor (New Rochelle, N.Y.) provided the clinching point at sixth singles, rolling to a 6-2, 6-1 win.

"That's why I have Brian at No. 6," Starke said. "He was too much for his opponent indoors, and handled the pressure like a champion."

Binghamton's team will gather to watch the NCAA selections on Wednesday afternoon on campus. The regional pairings will be announced live on ESPNews at approximately 4:45 p.m.

DOUBLES
1. Hanegby/Mohamed (BU) def. Krejci/Meir (SB), 8-3
2. Crooks/Robitaille (SB) def. Dobrin/O'Connor (BU), 8-5
3. Mourad/Gerard (BU) def. Kortum/Jonathan Gamberg (SB), 9-7

SINGLES
1. Jan Krejci (SB) def. Dan Hanegby (BU), 7-5, 6-3
2. Richemn Mourad (BU) def. Tal Meir (SB), 1-6, 6-3, 6-4
3. Michael Crooks (SB) def. Alex Dobrin (BU), 6-3, 6-1
4. Faisal Mohamed (BU) def. David Kortum (SB), 6-3, 6-3
5. Jean-Francois Robitaille (SB) def. Edwin Gerard (BU), 6-4, 6-0
6. Brian O'Connor (BU) def. Matthew Jacobson (SB), 6-2, 6-1

NOTES
Binghamton will carry a school-record 12-match win streak into NCAA play... Binghamton's three straight America East titles ties Hofstra (1999-01) for most consecutive championships... The Bearcats have defeated Stony Brook by identical 4-3 scores in each of the last three championship matches.