March 26, 2006

LEWISBURG, Pa. -- The Navy tennis team won six-of-nine matches to earn its first league win of the year with a 5-2 victory over Bucknell on a windy, cold Sunday afternoon. The Mids improve to 9-7 on the season and 1-1 in the Patriot League with the victory.

"It was a good win for us today," said Navy head coach John Officer. "We were in some tight, pressure-packed situations today and I thought we handled them very well. This is a big win for us and it put us in a much-better position to the Patriot League Tournament."

Navy won the doubles point, claiming two-of-three matches. Adrian Lai and Stanley Kahl earned an 8-4 victory at No. 2 doubles, then the Mids clinched the doubles point moments later with a 9-7 win by Johnny Waters and Jason Hill at No. 3. The duo of Waters and Hill trailed 6-3, but rallied for the victory.

The Mids then won 4-of-6 singles matches to clinch the team victory. Lai opened up singles action with an impressive 6-1, 6-2, victory at No. 3. Kahl won at No. 6 singles with a 6-2, 6-4, victory over Jon Brenner, then Navy clinched the match with a 6-2, 6-4, victory by Nate Nelms at No. 1 singles. Nelms trailed 3-0 in the second set, but won six of the last seven games to earn the victory.

For good measure, Waters earned a 6-2, 7-6 (5) victory at No. 5 singles to close out the match.

The Mids will travel to nationally-ranked Maryland on Wednesday, beginning at 2:30 p.m.

DOUBLES RESULTS (Order of finish):
2. Lai / Kahl (Navy) def. Lushnits / Sandburg, 8-4
3. Waters / Hill (Navy) def. Brenner / Young, 9-7
1. Salam / Reibeisen (Bucknell) def. Carter / Nelms, 9-8 (3)

SINGLES RESULTS (Order of finish):
3. Adrian Lai (Navy) def. John Lashnits, 6-1, 6-2
4. Matt Pikus (Bucknell) def. Brandon Carter, 6-4, 3-0 (retire)
6. Stanley Kahl (Navy) def. Jon Brenner, 6-2, 6-4
1. Nate Nelms (Navy) def. Ira Reibeisen, 6-2, 6-4
5. Johnny Waters (Navy) def. Ryan Sandburg, 6-2, 7-6 (5)
2. Asher Salam (Bucknell) def. Jason Hill, 7-5, 7-6 (8)

# GO NAVY #