Binghamton wins two of three matches during weekend

NEW YORK, N.Y.--The Bearcats (11-9) played three matches during the weekend, winning two out of three to improve to 11-9 on the season. Binghamton defeated Manhattan College 7-0 on Friday night, then split a pair of matches on Saturday. The Bearcats lost to St. John's 6-1 before defeating Division II Concordia 8-1.

Sophomore Akshay Rao (New Delhi, India) was the lone Bearcat to win all three of his matches. He produced the team's lone win against St. John's, then fought for a 6-4, 6-5 win against Concordia. He stretched his overall record on the season to 26-4, and is 17-3 in duals. His 26 wins are a new, single-season school record. Entering the weekend, he had been tied with Ron Sussman, who won 23 matches in the 1993-94 season.

"Akshay's match against Concordia was against a fellow countryman (Bhaktar Chowdury)," head coach Michael Starke said. "It was a very tough match, and we were pleased to see Akshay get a win."

Playing accroding to Division II rules against Concordia, the Bearcats swept all three doubles matches. BU posted 8-4 wins at first and third doubles, and produced a 9-8 tie-breaker at the second spot.

Freshman Edwin Gerard (Queens, N.Y./Edgemont) was a 6-2, 6-1 winner at third singles, while classmate Brian O'Connor (New Rochelle, N.Y./Iona Prep) won a 6-1, 6-0 match at fifth singles. Junior Steve Spencer (Plantation, Fla./Nova) played an abbreviated pro-set match at sixth singles, and was an 8-1 winner.

"We played good tennis against Concordia," Starke said. "We avenged the team's loss to St. John's earlier in the day and got a nice win."


Binghamton 7, Manhattan 0

DOUBLES
Rao/Sherwood (BU) def. Fedosienko/Gravagna (M), 9-7
Davidoff/Spencer (BU) def. Wawrzyniak/Wartanian (M), 8-3
Gerard/Vallabhaneni (BU) def. Won/Waits (M), 8-1

SINGLES
Akshay Rao (BU) def. Klim Fedosienko (M), 6-1, 6-2
Brad Davidoff (BU) def. Nick Gravagna (M), 6-3, 6-2
Edwin Gerard (BU) def. Pawel Wawrzyniak (M), 4-6, 6-4, 10-7
Brad Sherwood (BU) def. Dean Won (M), 6-3, 6-3
Brian O'Connor (BU) def. Shant Wartanian (M), 6-1, 3-0 ret.
Ryan Rosenthal (BU) def. Rajan Waits (M), 6-4, 7-6

St. John's 6, Binghamton 1

DOUBLES
Ferreira/Agniel (SJ) def. Rao/Sherwood (BU), 9-8 (5)
Davidoff/Spencer (BU) def. Maxwell/Chiporuka (SJ), 8-5
Bauer/Stocker (SJ) def. Gerard/Vallabhaneni (BU), 8-6

SINGLES
Akshay Rao (BU) def. Rick Ferreira (SJ), 6-2, 6-1
Arnold Agniel (SJ) def. Brad Davidoff (BU), 6-3, 6-3
Morgan Bauer (SJ) def. Edwin Gerard (BU), 6-4, 6-1
Jake Maxwell (SJ) def. Brad Sherwood (BU), 4-6, 6-4, 6-1
Nick Stocker (SJ) def. Brian O'Connor (BU), 6-4, 6-2
Boris Chiporuka (SJ) def. Steve Spencer (BU), 6-4, 6-4

Binghamton 8, Concordia 1

DOUBLES
Rao/Sherwood (BU) def. Chowdhury/Borelli (C), 8-4
Davidoff/Spencer (BU) def. Tiongko/Montes (C), 9-8 (5)
Gerard/Vallabhaneni (BU) def. Pham/Manjengwa (C), 8-4

SINGLES
Akshay Rao (BU) def. Bhaskar Chowdhury (C), 6-4, 7-5
Christiano Borelli (C) def. Brad Davidoff (BU), 6-4, 4-6, 6-2
Edwin Gerard (BU) def. Christian Tiongko (C), 6-2, 6-1
Brad Sherwood (BU) def. Isaac Montes (C), 9-8 (1)
Brian O'Connor (BU) def. Ton Pham (C), 6-1, 6-0
Steve Spencer (BU) def. Colin Manjengwa (C), 8-1