January 31, 2002

The men's tennis team faced its first competition of the spring season by battling four tough teams at the VCU 4+1 Invitational hosted by Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Va.

The Hoyas opened the two-day event with their first of four matches against Radford University. In a match that seesawed back and forth from beginning to end, the Hoyas were unable to prevail and narrowly lost 3-2. The doubles team of Nick Sklavounos (Waterford, Conn./Waterford) and Ken Jordan (Cincinnati, Ohio/St. Xavier) picked up the Hoyas? first point with a 6-2, 6-2 win over Lhamidi and Lammissi. The second Hoya team point came from the racquet of Troy Crichlow (Milton, Mass./Milton) at #4 singles as he dispatched Dominic Soeur 6-4, 6-4. Radford responded by winning the next two matches. At #3 singles Andre Benjamin (New York, N.Y./Fieldston) was defeated by Joakim Akummer 6-3, 6-3. The Hoyas got close to winning the decisive third team point in the #2 singles match but Dennis Cravedi (Bethesda, Md./Georgetown Prep) was edged out by Bartlo Oostuhuzien 6-4, 1-6, 6-4. With the match score tied 2-2, Hoya Marc Lohser (Woodbury, N.Y./Syosset) carried the team's hopes on his shoulders as his singles match went from its second hour to its third hour and concluded after three hours and 50 minutes with Radford's Robel Mengsted surviving the battle 7-6(5), 6-7(9), 7-5. Lohser held two match points on serve at 5-4 in the third set but could not convert. The 12:00 p.m. match concluded shortly before 4:00 p.m. with Georgetown falling 3-2.

The second match of the day against James Madison began only 1/2 hour after the conclusion of the lengthy battle against Radford. The Hoyas again started strongly as Aaron Shumaker (Grosse Pointe, Mich./Philips Exeter Academy) captured the #4 singles match with a 6-2, 6-4 victory over Bryan Kuehr. JMU countered as Cravedi fell in the #1 singles match against Andrew Lux 6-3, 6-2. Freshman Erik Bildman (Brookline, Mass./Roxbury Latin School) played a solid first set but fell in the #2 singles match 7-6(2), 6-3 to Mike Hendricksen. James Madison clinched the team victory as the Hoya doubles team of Crichlow and Ryan Peisel (Savannah, Ga./Savannah Country Day School) fell to Colin Malcolm and Clint Morse 7-5, 6-4. Senior captain Sklavounos had his own extended battle against Craig Anderson, losing in three sets in the #3 singles match 6-7(2), 6-3, 6-3. The final score was Georgetown-1, James Madison-4.

In Sunday's first match the Hoyas faced #40 Virginia Commonwealth. Lohser struggled to stay with Martow Ott at #1 singles, falling 6-0, 6-1. Crichlow had more luck against Matx Norin at #2 singles, but fell 6-2, 6-2. Bildman was taken down by Daniel Bermeo 6-3, 6-3 at #3 singles. Peisel found the opposition too tough at #4 singles, falling to Kris Barnes 6-2, 6-2. The Hoyas redemption rested on the doubles tandem of Benjamin and Cravedi who were on track to even the second set with three break points at 5-4, but fell 6-3, 6-4 to Pedro Nieto and Fernando Sanchez. The final score against a very powerful VCU squad was 5-0.

In the Hoyas final match of the weekend, they faced another challenge in Old Dominion. The Hoyas notched one team point as the doubles team of Lohser and Bildman received a default, but that was the only bit of light for the Hoyas. Benjamin was defeated by Zoltan Csanadi at #1 singles 6-2, 6-4. At #2 singles Sklavounos was defeated by Calin Milos 6-3, 6-2. At #3 singles Jordan fell 6-3, 6-0 to Miklas Oskarsson. Shumaker was outhit by Patik Binkowski at #4 singles falling 6-0, 6-0. The final score was Georgetown-1, Old Dominion-4.

The Hoyas next face Mary Washington College on Friday night at 6:00 p.m. at the Montclair Tennis Bubble in Dumfries, Va. The following night the Hoyas renew their annual rivalry against the Midshipmen of the U.S. Naval Academy at the Big Vanilla Tennis Club in Severna Park, Md. at 5:00 p.m.

Georgetown vs RadfordSaturday January 26, 2002 12:00 pm#1 Singles - Marc Lohser l. Robel Mengsted(RU) 7-6(5),6-7(9),7-5#2 Singles - Dennis Cravedi l. Bartlo Oosthuizen(RU) 6-4,1-6,6-4#3 Singles - Andre Benjamin l. Joakim Akummer(RU) 6-3,6-3#4 Singles - Troy Crichlow d. Dominic Soeur(RU) 6-4,6-4#1 Doubles - Nick Sklavounos/Ken Jordan d. Lhamidi/Lammissi 6-2,6-2Final Score- Georgetown-2, Radford-3

Georgetown vs James MadisonSaturday January 26, 2002 4:30 pm#1 Singles - Dennis Cravedi l. Andre Lux(JMU) 6-3,6-2#2 Singles - Erik Bildman l. Mike Hendricksen(JMU) 7-6(2),6-3#3 Singles - Nick Sklavounos l. Craig Anderson(JMU) 6-7(2),6-3,6-3#4 Singles - Aaron Shumaker d. Bryan Kuehr(JMU) 6-2,6-4#1 Doubles - Troy Crichlow/Ryan Peisel l. Colin Malcolm/Clint Morse 7-5,6-4Final Score- Georgetown-1, James Madison-4

Georgetown vs #40 Virginia CommonwealthSunday January 27, 2002 2:30 pm#1 Singles- Marc Lohser l. Martow Ott(VCU) 6-0,6-1#2 Singles- Troy Crichlow l. Mats Norin(VCU) 6-2,6-2#3 Singles- Erik Bildman l. Daniel Bermeo(VCU) 6-3,6-3#4 Singles- Ryan Peisel l. Kris Barnes(VCU) 6-2,6-2#1 Doubles- Andre Benjamin/Dennis Cravedi l. Pedro Nieto/Fernando Sanchez 6-3,6-4Final Score- Georgetown-0, VCU-5

Georgetown vs Old DominionSunday January 27, 2002 6;30 pm#1 Singles- Andre Benjamin l. Zoltan Csandi(ODU) 6-2,6-4#2 Singles- Nick Sklavounos l. Calin Milos(ODU) 6-3,6-2#3 Singles- Ken Jordan l. Niklas Oskarsson(ODU) 6-3,6-0#4 Singles- Aaron Shumaker l. Patrik Binkowski(ODU) 6-0,6-0#1 Doubles- Marc Lohser/Erik Bildman won by defaultFinal Score- Georgetown-1, ODU-4