BETHLEHEM, Pa. (September 28, 2008) – The Stevens Institute of Technology men's tennis team opened its 2008-09 schedule by splitting a pair of weather-shortened matches on Sunday at the Moravian College Invitational. The Ducks won their first match 5-0 over Cabrini College but fell by the same score to Dickinson College in the nightcap. Rain caused the tournament to be moved to the indoor tennis courts at nearby Lehigh University as all matches played were pro sets, and each team match ended as soon as the winning squad reached five points.

The Ducks had no trouble with Cabrini in the opener. Sophomore Arik Zeevy and junior Piotr Rusinkiewicz breezed by sophomore Mingkuanh Luo (Beijing, China) and senior Drew Brandstetter (Germantown, Tenn.)  8-2 at No. 1 doubles. Sophomores Jay Lee and Jason Ringstad dominated sophomore Jon Van Wagner (Brielle, N.J.) and rookie Brendan Hajas (Chester Springs, Pa.) at second doubles, 8-1, as the duo of senior Kobe Attias and sophomore Carlo Pardo defeated senior Duff O'Connor (Woodstown, N.J.) and sophomore Michael Sim (LaVerne, Calif.) by the same score at No. 3 doubles.

At first singles, Zeevy won a thriller over Luo in a tiebreak. He won the match 9-8 and the tiebreaker 7-0. Stevens' fifth and final point came from Ringstad as the sophomore rolled over Van Wagner 8-4 at second singles.

The Ducks did not have as much luck against Dickinson as the most competitive match was at second doubles. Ringstad and Lee fell to Matt Wood (Chatham, N.Y.) and Andrew Kastner (Seattle, Wash.), 8-6.

Zeevy and Rusinkiewicz fell 8-4 at No. 1 doubles, and Pardo and Attias could not get anything going in an 8-1, third doubles loss to senior Trevor Heck (Pittsburgh, Pa.) and sophomore Bo Marshall (Princeton, N.J.).

Dickinson clinched its 5-0 win when Marshall defeated Rusinkiewicz 8-2 at fourth singles.

Stevens (1-1) returns to the hard courts next weekend at the ITA Northeast Regional Championship in Willingboro, N.J.