WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. (May 11, 2012) – The Stevens Institute of Technology men's tennis team dismantled Wilkes University 5-1 on Friday morning to advance to the second round of the NCAA Division III Men's Tennis Championship. Junior Shota Tasaki (Greenwich, Conn.) and sophomore Andrew Riggs (Auburn, Calif.) won at both singles and doubles to lead the Ducks.

Each of the three doubles matchups was tight to start. After five games had been played, each match had a score of 3-2, with the Ducks leading at ones and threes.

From there, the Stevens first doubles duo of Chris Rosensteel (East Windsor, N.J.) and Shota Tasaki dominated Steven Wilson (Bronx, N.Y.) and Clarke Freeman (York, Pa.), taking the first result in an 8-2 final.

Derek Smith (Boise, Idaho) and Daniel Szwarc (Metuchen, N.J.) held serve at threes to stay ahead and methodically march to an 8-5 victory.

The most exciting match was at second doubles, where Colonels Alex Makos (Mansfield, Pa.) and Zack Telljohan (Atlanta, Ga.) led 3-2 after five and ran their lead all the way to 6-3 after nine games. From that point on, however, Andrew Riggs (Auburn, Calif.) and Nicholas Rosasco (Alpine, N.J.) ripped off five-straight games – including two service breaks – to roar back and give the Ducks a doubles sweep.

At singles, it was Wilkes that jumped out to an early advantage, taking a 4-1 lead at both fours and sixes early on. Every other match began 3-2.

Riggs and Tasaki pulled ahead from there in their singles matchups. Riggs jumped out to a 6-2 win in the first set, and Tasaki outlasted Telljohann 7-5 in his opening set. On the far courts, Freeman, Dakkota Deem (Montgomery, Pa.) and Brandon Helfrich (Bloomsburg, Pa.) each took the first set for the Colonels.

Riggs made quick work of Wilson at twos, winning 6-2, 6-1 and putting the Ducks one win away from advancing. At ones, Rosensteel finally won a long first set, 6-3.

Rosasco and Smith of Stevens came back to win their second sets, forcing a deciding third set at both fours and fives. Helfrich then won at sixes to give Wilkes its lone victory of the morning.

Tasaki clinched the match as Telljohann watched match point strike the ground directly in front of him, thinking it would sail out of bounds. Instead, it clearly thumped in the corner to secure the Stevens victory.

This is the third NCAA victory in Stevens history…The Ducks will advance to the NCAA Second Round against Massachusetts Institute of Technology on Saturday at 8:30 a.m. in Williamstown, Massachusetts.

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