SALISBURY, Md. - The Salisbury
University men's tennis team dropped a tough 8-1 decision to No. 13
Johns Hopkins University on Sunday at the SU Outdoor Tennis Courts.
The Blue Jays (9-3) are ranked No. 3 in the Atlantic South region
while the Sea Gulls (10-6) are ranked ninth.
In doubles play, senior Sasha Felikson and
sophomore Giorgio Athans were defeated by Warren
Elgort and Ryan Rauck at No. 3 doubles 8-2. The No. 2 doubles pair
of freshman Daniel Barnas and sophomore
Andrew Nottage had a tough task as they faced the
No. 11 doubles pair in the nation of David Maldow and Andrew Wang.
Madlow and Wang won 8-3. Salisbury's top doubles pair of
Scott Burtzlaff and Evan Thomas,
ranked No. 4 in the region, fell to Jacob Barnaby and Casey Blythe
8-6.
SU enter singles play down 3-0. Burtzlaff squared off against
JHU's Maldow at No. 1 singles. Madlow, ranked No. 10 nationally,
dropped the first set 6-2. Madlow won the next two sets 6-4 and 6-2
to claim the point. Thomas could not seem to find a rhythm at No. 2
singles vs. Wang as the junior fell in two sets 6-3 and 6-4.
Sophomore David Lupinetti claimed Salisbury's one
and only point. Lupinetti defeated Elgort 6-2 in the first set
before he dropped the second set 6-4. The Walkersville, Md., native
won the third set 7-6 winning the tiebreaker 11-9 and improved his
singles' record to 14-3 on the year. Freshman standout Barnas
played a strong match against Barnaby at No. 4 singles as he took
the first set 6-4 but lost the second set 6-4 and the final set
10-8. No. 5 singles featured a great match between Nottage and
Orlando Ferrer. Nottage lost the first set 6-4 and the second 7-6
as he lost the tiebreaker 7-3. Peter Vale defeated Felikson 6-4 and
6-1 to close out the match.
The Sea Gulls will continue Capital Athletic Conference play
this week with two matches against St. Mary's (Md.) College and
Wesley College.
