Friday, 03/23/2012

WASHINGTON – The George Washington men’s tennis team earned a decisive 6-1 win over District rival Georgetownon Friday to extend its winning streak to six matches and open spring action at Mount Vernon Tennis Center with a 1-0 mark.

GW senior Ugur Atalay – the reigning Atlantic 10 Performer of the Week – improved his winning streak at No. 2 singles to seven matches after defeating Georgetown’s Charlie Caris by set scores of 6-2, 7-5.

The Colonials (9-6) opened the match by securing the doubles point, winning 2-of-3 doubles matches. The No. 1 duo of Atalay and freshman Francisco Dias downed the Hoyas’ Andrew Bruhn and Brian Ward, 8-4.

Sophomore Ulrik Thomsen and junior Alexander van Gils teamed up in the No. 2 match to defeat Andrew Dottino and Alex Tropiano by an 8-2 decision. Junior Leonardo Lapentti and sophomore Viktor Svensson were edged at the No. 3 spot, 8-7, by Caris and Casey Distaso.

Freshman Francisco Dias – who is ranked No. 80 in the most recent Intercollegiate Tennis Association poll – posted a No. 1 singles victory over Bruhn by set scores of 6-2, 6-4. Van Gils earned a 6-1, 6-3 win over Dottino in the third flight, and Lapentti defeated Shane Korber, 6-2, 6-4 at the No. 4 spot.

In the No. 5 match, Thomsen downed Ward, 6-2, 6-4. Svensson dropped a close three-set match to Distaso by scores of 4-6, 7-6, 1-0.

The Colonials are scheduled to host NCAA Division II UDC on Saturday at 3 p.m. Due to inclement weather that has been forecast for this weekend, fans are encouraged to check GWsports.com for schedule changes.

- GW -