POUGHKEEPSIE, NY (February 21, 2009) -- With its third straight convincing victory to begin the spring season, head Vassar men's tennis coach Ki Kroll believes his rapidly improving Brewers are ready to take on the next challenge. Following Saturday's 9-0 win over Coast Guard at Walker Field House, the Brewers are now primed to face Liberty League rival Skidmore next Saturday, February 28 in Saratoga Springs.

The 4-1 Brewers (3-0 in the spring) were playing on all cylinders Saturday afternoon, sweeping Coast Guard (3-4) while losing only eight games in doubles and 13 games in singles. According to Kroll, the Brewers are stronger from top to bottom this season than in 2008 when Vassar fell to Skidmore in the Liberty League Championships.

"We're really excited to be competing against Skidmore next Saturday," said Kroll. "It will be our first real test as a team. We are better at this point than I thought we'd be and today was a prime example.

"The guys were really focused and played hard," Kroll added. "Coast Guard had really improved as a team, but we stepped up our game. The match was tighter than the scores indicate."

In particular, Kroll praised the play of junior Shane Donahue (Oakland, CA/Skyline), who returned from JYA to win both his doubles and singles matches against Coast Guard. "Shane is playing really well," says Kroll. "His improved play really helps out our entire team."

According to Kroll, sophomore Joshua Jasso (Olmito, TX/James Pace) is "improving every day" and rose to the occasion with an 8-0 victory in doubles alongside partner Jeremy Rosen (Paramus, NJ/Paramus) and a 6-3, 6-1 singles win over Coast Guard's Wesley Figaro.

"The fact that everyone is improving changes the dynamic of our team," Kroll says. "We're feeding off the energy of each other and it makes me and the team excited for Skidmore."

Following next Saturday's match against the Thoroughbreds, Vassar will head to Orlando, Florida for five spring break matches, starting with Coe College on March 8.

Vassar 9, Coast Guard 0

Doubles
1. Max Willner/Greg Katz (VC) def. Greg Mitchell/Nick Martin (CG) 8-4
2. Mike Mattelson/Shane Donahue (VC) def. Chris Pappe/Wesley Figaro (CG) 8-4
3. Jeremy Rosen/Joshua Jasso (VC) def. James Vuckovic/Tim Ozimek (CG) 8-0

Singles
1. Mattelson (VC) def. Mitchell (CG) 6-0, 6-1
2. Katz (VC) def. Martin (CG) 6-3, 6-2
3. Donahue (VC) def. Pappe (CG) 6-0, 6-1
4. Rosen (VC) def. Vuckovic (CG) 6-1, 6-0
5. Jasso (VC) def. Figaro (CG) 6-3, 6-1
6. Chris Seeger (VC) def. Ozimek (CG) 6-0, 6-0