POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. (February 25, 2007) – Junior Ricky Bawa (Lyndhurst, N.J.) suffered a tough three-set loss to senior Erik Skartvedt (Easton, Conn.) at No. 1 singles as the Stevens Institute of Technology men’s tennis team opened the spring semester with a 9-0 setback at Vassar College on Sunday in Poughkeepsie, N.Y.  Bawa dropped the first set 7-5 then recorded a 6-4 win in the second.  Skartvedt pulled out a 6-3 victory in the third and decisive set as the Brewers improved to 3-2 on the season.

At No. 1 doubles, freshman Piotr Rusinkiewicz (Califon, N.J.) and Bawa lost to junior Ashish Patil (Silsbee, Texas) and freshman Michael Mattelson (Great Neck, N.Y.) by the score of 8-2.  Senior Boris Kocherov (Edison, N.J.) and junior Arjun Mehta (Brooklyn, N.Y.) fell to senior Jared Mayer (Mill Neck, N.Y.) and Skartvedt, 8-3, at second doubles.  Sophomore Kobe Attias (Brick, N.J.) and freshman Russ Suereth (Hewitt, N.J.) dropped an 8-3 decision at third doubles.

In singles play, Kocherov, Rusinkiewicz, Mehta, senior Ian Mullican (Gillette, N.J.) and Attias all lost in straight sets at second through sixth singles, respectively.

Stevens (1-3) will return to action on Sunday, March 4 against Babson College at noon.  That match will be played at St. Peter’s College in Jersey City, N.J.