Sept. 30, 2007

Storrs, Conn. - It was a strong showing by the Stony Brook men's tennis team at the UConn Invitational this weekend. The team had players in the finals of six of the eight singles flights as well as three doubles teams. Sophomore Ilan Shvartz (Haifa, Israel) led the way with a singles and doubles title for the Seawolves.

In doubles play, the team of sophomore Ilan Shvartz (Haifa, Israel) and junior Youssef Fassi-Fehri (Fes, Morocco) won four times to advance to the semifinals, defeating teams from Quinnipiac, Rhode Island, Connecticut and Bucknell. An 8-6 win over another team from Bucknell gave the Seawolf duo the team title.

Playing on opposite sides of the bracket in the #2 Flight, the teams of sophomore Alex Markovich (Brooklyn, N.Y.)/freshman Artem Baradach (Minsk, Belarus) and junior Juan Carlos Cotto (Trujillo Alto, Puerto Rico)/sophomore Jon Epstein (Silver Spring, Md.) also reached the finals, defeating teams from Marist to get there. The finals match between the two teams was not contested, however.

Playing in the #3 singles flight, Shvartz won three matches in straight sets to reach the finals where he defeated Peter Luck from Marist, 6-3, 6-1. Baradach was victorious at #4 singles, winning a pair of matches to reach the finals where he took a 6-3, 7-6 decision over Greg Marks of Marist.

Stony Brook took its other two titles in the #7 and #8 flights. At #7 it was Markovich defeating Tim McLane of Monmouth, 6-4, 7-5. Epstein won the title match at #8 with a 6-0, 6-3 decision over Jack Famiglio from Marist.

Cotto and Freshman Ivan Rummel (Budapest, Hungary) also reached the finals of their flights before they were defeated for the first time.

The Seawolves will be in action again next Saturday, October 6 when they host Hofstra and St. Peter's. The match with Hofstra will start at 9:00 a.m., with the St. Peter's contested scheduled for 3:00 p.m.