EDGEWATER, N.J. (March 23, 2024) – Senior Aashi Kulakarni recorded a key singles victory as the Stevens Institute of Technology men's tennis team defeated Washington College 9-0 Saturday in a non-conference contest at the Edgewater Tennis Center. 

Stevens posted its first shutout of the 2023-24 season in improving to 2-4, while also snapping a four-match losing streak. Washington College dropped its second straight to fall to 3-4. The Ducks have won all four meetings in the all-time series and Saturday's contest marked the first between the sides that was hosted by Stevens. 

Facing 2023 national singles quarterfinals Karl Hoegstedt on line one, Kulakarni rallied after dropping the first set to post an impressive 2-6, 7-6 (7-4), 10-8 victory. The triumph put an exclamation point on an impressive singles performance by Stevens, with victories in four of the six flights coming in straight sets.

Junior Vivek Harinarayan spun an impressive 6-0, 6-0 win on line two over Ryohei Kawai, while sophomore Max-William Kanz had the match-clinching point with a 6-1, 6-0 victory on line five over Johannes Ludwigstorff. Senior Andrew He won his second singles match in as many days with a 6-4, 6-4 win in the third position, while junior Olof Persson earned a straight-set win (6-0, 6-1) over Jorge Urgal Zuleta on line six. Kulakarni's three-set victory boosted the Ducks' lead to 8-0 before junior Sebastian Wroe completed the shutout with a come-from-behind, three-set win over Aaradith Ravichandran on line four, 4-6, 6-4, 10-7.

The Ducks built a 3-0 lead after the completion of doubles play, with perhaps the most impressive win coming on line one, where Person and Wroe paired together for an 8-1 win over Hoegstedt and Urgal Zuleta, snapping the Shoremen's top tandem's three-match winning streak. Kulakarni paired with Harinarayan for an 8-2 win on line two, while Kanz and first-year Samvid Andhare completed the doubles sweep with an 8-4 win over Ravichandran and Tichi Chialva.

The Rundown
DOUBLES
Olof Persson/Sebastian Wroe (STEVENS) def. Karl Hoegstedt/Jorge Urgal Zuleta (WC) 8-1
Aashi Kulakarni/Vivek Harinarayan (STEVENS) def. Kohl Perkins/Ryohei Kawai (WC) 8-2
Max-William Kanz/Samvid Andhare (STEVENS) def. Tichi Chialva/A. Ravichandran (WC) 8-4

SINGLES
Aashi Kulakarni (STEVENS) def. Karl Hoegstedt (WC) 2-6, 7-6 (7-4), 1-0 (10-8)
Vivek Harinarayan (STEVENS) def. Ryohei Kawai (WC) 6-0, 6-0
Andrew He (STEVENS) def. Kohl Perkins (WC) 6-4, 6-4
Sebastian Wroe (STEVENS) def. Aaradith Ravichandran (WC) 4-6, 6-4, 1-0 (10-7)
Max-William Kanz (STEVENS) def. Johannes Ludwigstorff (WC) 6-1, 6-0
Olof Persson (STEVENS) def. Jorge Urgal Zuleta (WC) 6-1, 6-0

Top Performers

• Kanz currently possesses the Ducks' longest winning streak, with victories in each of his last three matches.

Around the MAC Freedom 

• No other conference teams competed on Saturday.

Coach's Comments

• "We needed a strong start in doubles today and got it by throwing the first punch and playing to win from beginning to end. I was very pleased with our balance of composure and self-belief throughout the match. No one showed that better today than our captain, Aashi, with a huge comeback win over one of the top players in the country. I'm excited to build upon today's success and continue to make small improvements each day as we prepare for some more tough competition ahead." – head coach Steve Gachko

Up Next

• Stevens welcomes Kalamazoo College on Mar. 27 for what is believed to be the first meeting between the programs. The match is scheduled to get underway at 2:30 and a live video link is posted to StevensDucks.com.

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