George Washington University

Jan. 22, 2011

BOSTON, MA - The George Washington University men's tennis team battled in their first matches of the spring 2011 season at the Harvard Winter Classic, at Harvard's Murr Center Tennis Courts.

Sophomore Alexander van Gils and senior Christopher Kushma paired up to face Harvard's Aba Omodele-Lucien and Joshua Tchan in the first GW doubles match of the day. The Colonials duo fell 8-3.

Freshman Viktor Svensson and junior Richard Blumenfeld battled Mac McAnulty and John Thorton in the No. 6 doubles match, falling 9-7.

"Missing the easy balls were an issue but may be expected in a season opener," said head coach Greg Munoz. "I think we will have a great day tomorrow. The little mistakes should be corrected and I expect the guys to play with more confidence coming off strong singles performances."

Van Gils took on Harvard's top singles player Jonathon Pearlman at the No. 1 singles position, falling 6-4, 6-2, in the Colonials only singles loss in the first day of the Winter Classic.

Blumenfeld allowed Harvard's Brendan Seaver to score only one point, going on to win the No. 5 singles match, 6-1, 6-0.

In the on deck singles matches of Day 1, the Colonials earned two victories. The first came from Kushma as he defeated Andy Nguyen, 6-3, 6-2. Svensson won the third set tiebreaker for the 6-3, 6-7, 1-0, victory over the Crimson's Will McNamee.

The Colonials will continue play in the Harvard Winter Classic for a second day on Saturday, Jan 22, at Harvard's Murr Center Tennis Courts.

Harvard Winter Classic - Day 1
Doubles:
1. Felton/Nguyen (H) def. Rossi/Himmelbach (Marist) 8-2
2. Omodele-Lucien/Tchan (H) def. Alexander Van Gils/ Christopher Kushma (GW) 8-3
3. MacMaster/Pearlman (H) def. Von Eck/Greene (Marist) 8-3
4. Chijoff-Evans/Mangham (H) def. Pisecky/Klassen (Marist) 8-2
5. Seaver/McNamee (H) def. Resnik/Von Nordheim (Marist) 8-6
6. McAnulty/Thornton (H) def. Viktor Svensson/ Richard Blumenfeld (GW) 9-7

Singles:
1. Pearlman (H) def. Alexander van Gils (GW) 6-4, 6-2
2. McAnulty (H) loss Resnik (Marist) 6-4, 6-3
3. Omodele-Lucien (H) def. Himmelbach (Marist) 6-4, 6-2
4. MacMaster (H) loss Greene (Marist) 7-6, 2-6, 6-4
5. Seaver (H) loss Richard Blumenfeld (GW) 6-1, 6-0
6. Felton (H) def. Von Eck (Marist) 7-6, 7-6

On Deck:
Chijoff-Evans (H) loss Rossi (Marist) 6-4, 6-3
Mangham (H) def. Von Nordheim (Marist) 7-6, 6-1
Nguyen (H) loss Christopher Kushma (GW) 6-3, 6-2
Tchan (H) def. Pisecky (Marist) 6-4, 6-4
Thornton (H) def. Klassen (Marist) 6-2, 6-3
McNamee (H) loss Viktor Svensson (GW) 6-3, 6-7, 1-0