MEDFORD - Facing their biggest test since moving up to the #3 national ranking in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association poll, the Tufts University's men's tennis team passed with flying colors today as the Jumbos earned an 8-1 victory over ninth-ranked Bowdoin College at Lower Campus Courts.
With the win, head coach Karl Gregor's Jumbos have now won 10 matches in a row and are 11-1 overall with a 6-1 conference record. Bowdoin lost today for the first time in 11 matches, dropping to 13-2 and taking their first conference defeat (5-1).
The Jumbos earned a 2-1 lead in doubles. After seniors Isaac Gorelik and Paris Pentousis (pictured) - ranked 11th regionally - won the #2 match for Tufts handily (8-2), the #1 pair of juniors Rishabh Sharda and Josh Belandres went to a tie-breaker to get the win over Tristan Bradley and Reid Staples from Bowdoin 8-7 (5). The Bowdoin duo is ranked fifth regionally. The third match was even tighther, with the tie-breaker at 6-6 until Bowdoin's Ethan Bradley and Pieter Breuker eventually won it 9-7 to salvage a doubles point for the visitors.
Tufts' strength in singles would carry them to the victory. Pentousis in the #4 slot did not lose a set while giving the Jumbos a 3-1 lead in the team scoring. Freshman Vuk Vuksanovic then won the #3 match 6-3, 7-4 over Evan Fortier making it 4-1. The Jumbo victory-clincher was Sharda's on the second singles court, a 7-5, 6-2 win against Staples.
The Jumbos would close out the singles sweep with victories by Belandres at #6, Gorelik at #1 and by freshman Derin Acaroglu in the fifth spot. Both Belandres and Acaroglu won tie-breakers as part of their victories, and Gorelik came back from down a set against Tristan Bradley to win.
Tufts will go for 11 in a row at MIT on Thursday.
