BALTIMORE – After a long journey back from the south, the men's tennis team resumed its winning ways, defeating long-time rival Hartford, 6-1, at the UMBC Tennis Complex.
The Retrievers improved to 7-4 on the season, and won its first match against another Missouri Valley Conference associate member.
All three Retriever doubles teams won, highlighted by a dominating 6-2 triumph by the No. 3 tandem of junior Justin Carter (Randallstown, Md.) and classmate Elliot Loubatie (Paris, France).
Junior Jaan Kononov (Talinn, Estonia) continued his recent sterling play, as he cruised past Ryan Lustu, at the No. 1 slot, 6-1, 6-0. Sophomore Biyik Akinshemoyin (Laurel, Md./Reservoir) got an opportunity at No. 6 singles and triumphed, 6-4, 6-3 over Morgan White.
Carter clinched the match with a 6-4, 6-4 decision over Will Drumwright. Carter got the deciding break in the second set after a 21-ball rally.
UMBC travels to Fairfax, Va., to take on George Mason on March 26.
UMBC 6, Hartford 1
Doubles
1) Gray/Drean (UMBC) def. Sharwarko/Drumwright (UH), 6-3
2) Kononov/Svard (UMBC) def. Lustu/Rambola (UH), 6-4
3) Carter/Loubatie (UMBC) def. Luis Montes/Harrison Max (VC), 6-2
Singles
1) Jaan Kononov (UMBC) def. Ryan Lustu, 6-1,6-0
2) Justin Carter (UMBC) def. Will Drumwright (UH), 6-4, 6-4
3) Dan Rambola (UH) def. Melker Svard (UMBC), 3-6, 7-5, (10-8)
4) Alex Drean (UMBC) def. Nick Sharwarko (UH), 6-4, 6-2
5) Daniel Gray (UMBC) def. Juan Molina (UH), 6-1, 6-2
6) Biyik Akinshemoyin (UMBC) def. Morgan White (UH), 6-3, 6-4
