ITHACA, N.Y. (April 10, 2010) – The Stevens Institute of Technology men's tennis team dropped a hard-fought match to Empire 8 rival Ithaca College, 5-4, at Cornell University's Reis Tennis Center in Ithaca, N.Y. The Ducks, winners of 10-consecutive matches heading into today's contest, fall to 10-2 overall on the season with a 2-1 league ledger, while the Bombers improved to 9-2 and 2-0 against conference opponents.

Senior Piotr Rusinkiewicz and junior Gregory Klose staked Stevens to a 1-0 lead with an 8-3 victory in third-flight doubles over Daniel Adelman (Hampton, Conn.) and Josh Berggrun (Pepper Pike, Ohio). Ithaca knotted the match at one with sophomore Jimmy Newton (Englewood, Fla.) and Danny Wolk's (Potomac, Md.) 8-6 second-doubles victory. Bombers' senior Taylor Borda (Chester, N.J.) and junior Josh Rifkin (Fort Wayne, Ind.) then downed Stevens junior Arik Zeevy and freshman Chris Rosensteel, 9-7, in top-flight doubles to take a 2-1 advantage.

Rosensteel opened up singles play with a 6-1, 6-0 No. 3 singles victory over Newton, before Ringstad scored a 6-3, 6-2, No. 4 singles triumph over Berggrun to put Stevens back on top, 3-2. Klose then put the Ducks ahead, 4-2, with a 6-3, 6-2 No. 6 singles win over sophomore Dan Levine (Highland Mills, N.Y.). Ithaca battled back however, with Borda topping Zeevy 5-7, 6-1, 7-6 (9-7) in No. 2 singles before Rifkin downed Tasaki 7-5, 4-6, 6-3, in the top slot. Wolk closed out the match, sealing the win with a 6-4, 2-6, 6-3, victory over Rusinkiewicz in No. 5 singles.

Stevens will look to rebound against Elmira College on Sunday, April 11.