Bronx, N.Y. - (March 22, 2011) - After a slow start to the spring season the Fordham University men's tennis squad made up for it today, winning two matches on the day, defeating Wagner College, 6-1, and New York Institute of Technology, 7-0, on the Hawthorn/Rooney Courts.

The Rams opened the Wagner match by taking the doubles point, winning all three doubles matches. Nick Kelly and Ken Fukumoto took first doubles from Wagner's Daniel Ovechkin and David Garzon, 8-4, while Eli Plangger and Alex DeRienzo were victorious at second doubles over Taylor Santoro and Yirmeyah Beckles, 8-0. Luke Maloney and Alex Levine made it a clean sweep for the Rams, besting Pierre Yuzon and Nicholas Apicella at the third spot, 8-1.

In singles action, Fordham took five of the six matches, winning at first, third, fourth, fifth and sixth singles with four of those wins in straight sets. Dan Kane-West won at third singles over Santoro (6-2, 6-3), Andriy Kulak took fourth singles from Beckles (6-1, 6-2), Ben Kelly was victorious at the fifth spot over Yuzon (6-0, 6-2), and Luke Maloney upended Apicella at sixth singles (6-0, 6-0). The other Fordham singles win came from DeRienzo who had to work overtime at first singles, dropping the first set to Ovechkin, 6-4, before coming back to win the second, 6-2, and the tiebreaker, 12-10.

In the NYIT match, the Rams again opened play by winning the doubles point, taking all three doubles matches. Nick Kelly and Fukumoto won at the first position over Julian Marcon and Vojislav Pecikoza, 8-6, while Plangger and DeRienzo upended Filip Van Eylen and Kushtrim Bejtullahu, 8-1. At third doubles, Ben Kelly and Kevin Sullivan defeated Andrew Cohen and Michael Sleszyneski, 8-1.

Fordham then took all six singles matches, four in straight sets. The four straight set winners were Fukumoto, who defeated Pecikoza (6-1, 7-5), Plangger, who bested Bejtullahu (6-0, 6-0), Kulak, who took care of Cohen (6-1, 6-1) and Levine, who upended Sleszyneski (6-4, 6-1), in third through sixth singles, respectively.

DeRienzo and Kevin Maloney had to go to an extra set for their wins at first and second singles, respectively. DeRienzo won the first set against Van Eylen, 6-1, but dropped the second, 6-0, before winning the match with a 6-4 victory in the third set. Kevin Maloney took the first set from Marcon, 6-3, but dropped the second, 5-7, before coming back to win the tiebreaker, 10-4.

The Rams will next be in action on Saturday, March 26th, as they travel to Philadelphia to face La Salle University at 10:00 a.m. and Saint Joseph's at 3:00 p.m. Fordham will then take on Temple on Sunday in Philadelphia at 1:00 p.m.

Wagner (1) at Fordham (6)

March 22, 2011

Singles
1. Alex DeRienzo (FOR) def. Daniel Ovechkin (WAG), 4-6, 6-2, 12-10
2. David Garzon (WAG) def. Kevin Maloney (FOR), 6-4, 7-5
3. Dan Kane-West (FOR) def. Taylor Santoro (WAG), 6-2, 6-3
4. Andriy Kulak (FOR) def. Yirmeyah Beckles (WAG), 6-1, 6-2
5. Ben Kelly (FOR) def. Pierre Yuzon (WAG), 6-0, 6-2
6. Luke Maloney (FOR) def. Nicholas Apicella (WAG), 6-0, 6-0

Doubles
1. Nick Kelly / Ken Fukumoto (FOR) def. Daniel Ovechkin/David Garzon (WAG), 8-4
2. Eli Plangger / Alex DeRienzo (FOR) def. Taylor Santoro/Yirmeyah Beckles (WAG), 8-0
3. Luke Maloney / Alex Levine (FOR) def. Pierre Yuzon/Nicholas Apicella (WAG), 8-1

NYIT (0) at Fordham (7)
March 22, 2011

Singles
1. Alex DeRienzo (FOR) def. Filip Van Eylen (NYIT), 6-1, 0-6, 6-4
2. Kevin Maloney (FOR) def. Julian Marcon (NYIT), 6-3, 5-7, 10-4
3. Ken Fukumoto (FOR) def. Vojislav Pecikoza (NYIT), 6-1, 7-5
4. Eli Plangger (FOR) def. Kushtrim Bejtullahu (NYIT), 6-0, 6-0
5. Andriy Kulak (FOR) def. Andrew Cohen (NYIT), 6-1, 6-1
6. Alex Levine (FOR) def. Michael Sleszyneski (NYIT), 6-4, 6-1

Doubles
1. Nick Kelly / Ken Fukumoto (FOR) def. Julian Marcon/Vojislav Pecikoza (NYIT), 8-6
2. Eli Plangger / Alex DeRienzo (FOR) def. Filip Van Eylen/ Kushtrim Bejtullahu (NYIT), 8-1
3. Ben Kelly / Kevin Sullivan (FOR) def. Andrew Cohen/ Michael Sleszyneski (NYIT), 8-1