Feb. 4, 2009
Norfolk, Va. – The Old Dominion University men’s tennis team defeated their first ranked opponent of the season on Tuesday, with a 5-2 win over No. 55 St. Mary’s College of California. With the win the Monarchs improved to 7-2 on the season, while the Gaels fell to 1-4.
The Monarchs opened by winning the doubles point victories at No. 1 and No. 2. The duo of Aleksandr Seleznev and Tobias Fanselow defeated St. Mary’s Achim Christner and Andrea Zannoni 8-4 at No. 1 and at No. 2 Matt Fawcett and Ben Marks got past Lucas Tirelli and Steve Dawson-Roberts, 8-5.
In singles play, the Monarchs picked up four victories with three coming in straight sets. Seleznev defeated Tirelli 62, 6-4 at No. 1, Fanselow defeated Christner 6-2, 7-6(3) at No. 2 and at No. 4 Alex Funkhouser rolled past Zannoni 6-3, 6-0. ODU’s Matt Fawcett needed three sets to overcome Sherif Hamdy at No. 5, recording the 6-1, 3-6, 7-6(3) victory.
The Monarchs return to the court on Friday with a home doubleheader against Columbia and East Carolina.
DOUBLES:
1. Seleznev/Fanselow (ODU) def. Christner/Zannoni (SMC) 8-4
2. Fawcett/Marks (ODU) def. Tirelli/Dawson-Roberts (SMC) 8-5
3. Leon/Luck (SMC) def. Diskin/Funkhouser (ODU) 8-4
SINGLES:
1. Aleksandr Seleznev (ODU) def. Lucas Tirelli (SMC) 6-2, 6-4
2. Tobias Fanselow (ODU) def. Achim Christner (SMC) 6-2, 7-6(3)
3. Gavin Leon (SMC) def. Yakov Diskin (ODU) 6-3, 6-4
4. Alex Funkhouser (ODU) def. Andrea Zannoni (SMC) 6-3, 6-0
5. Matt Fawcett (ODU) def. Sherif Hamdy (SMC) 6-1, 3-6, 7-6(3)
6. Yousse El Bouzkouri (SMC) def. Krzysztof Muzalewski (ODU) 6-1, 6-7(9), (10-6)
FINAL SCORE: ODU 5, SAINT MARY'S 2