MIDDLEBURY, Vt. (May 14, 2011) – The Stevens Institute of Technology men's tennis team fell 5-1 at Middlebury College on Saturday afternoon in the second round of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III Men's Tennis Championship. Stevens ends its season with an overall record of 14-6 after winning its second Empire 8 title in as many years. Top-ranked and defending national champ Middlebury improves to 17-3 overall and will take on Bowdoin College in the regional finals on Sunday.
Despite the score, the match took more than three hours and several duals were extremely well contested.
“It's always hard to lose but I am extremely happy and proud of the way we competed today,” Head Men's Tennis Coach Steve Gachko (Cranford, N.J.) said. “We just missed on taking two of the three doubles points and I thought we played well in singles too.”
Stevens' one point of the match came from seniors Jason Ringstad and Arik Zeevy at second doubles. The duo earned an epic 9-8 (7-5) win over junior Derrick Angle (Troy, N.Y.) and senior Mike Malhame (Douglaston, N.Y.) at second doubles.
“For Jason and Arik to earn a win like that in their final doubles match means a lot,” Gachko added. “They beat a really good team and to end their careers on a high note is special.”
Sophomores Chris Rosensteel and Shota Tasaki dropped a heartbreaker at No. 1 singles, falling 9-8 (7-4) to senior Andrew Peters (Baltimore, Md.) and sophomore Brantner Jones (Winnetka, Ill.).
Senior Jay Lee and freshman Lopburi Sasinin fell out of the third doubles slot, 8-1 to sophomore Spencer Lunghino (Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.) and junior David Farah (Flint, Mich.).
Angle was the first Panther to earn a win in singles play, defeating Tasaki, 6-2, 6-0 in the four spot, while Peters earned a No. 1 singles win over Rosensteel, 6-4, 6-1. Sophomore Alec Parower (Scarsdale, N.Y.) defeated Ringstad at third singles clinch the Middlebury victory.
At second singles, after dropping his first set, Zeevy was ahead 4-1 in the second but that match did not finish. The same was the case for fifth and sixth singles.
“We earned some good wins over several strong teams this year and are getting better and better,” said Gachko when asked to put some perspective on the season. “We have turned ourselves into a really strong doubles team which puts a lot of pressure on teams and I think our confidence as a program is growing.”
Singles Results:
1. Andy Peters (M) def. Chris Rosensteel (S) – 6-4, 6-1
2. Zach Bruchmiller (M) led Arik Zeevy (S) – 6-4, 1-4 - DNF
3. Alec Parower (M) led Jason Ringstad (S) - 6-2, 6-4
4. Derrick Angle (M) def. Shota Tasaki (S) – 6-2, 6-0
5. Spencer Lunghino (M) led Jay Lee (S) – 2-0 - DNF
6. Brantner Jones (M) vs. Lopburi Sasinin (S) - DNS
Doubles Results:
1. Peters/Jones (M) def. Rosensteel/Tasaki (S) – 9-8 (4)
2. Zeevy/Ringstad (S) def. Mike Malhame/Derrick Angle (M) – 9-8 (5)
3. Spencer Lunghino/David Farah (M) def. Lee/Sasinin (S) – 8-1
