POUGHKEEPSIE, NY (September 15, 2015) – The Vassar men's tennis team (0-1) will be back in action this Wednesday, September 16 when the team hosts Williams College at Joss Courts. First serve is slated for 4:00 pm.     
 
Match Details
Opponent: Williams (0-0)  
Links: (Williams Men's Tennis Home Page) (Roster) (Schedule)
Site: Poughkeepsie, NY  
Facility: Josselyn Tennis Courts   
Date: September 16, 2015
Time: 4:00 pm
 
Last Time Out: Vassar came up short in its fall opener on September 12, surrendering a 5-4 decision to the United States Coast Guard Academy. The Bears took two of three doubles matches, then captured three more singles bouts to clinch the team victory. (Results)

A Look at the Ephs: Williams will open its 2015-16 campaign this Wednesday when the team travels to play Vassar. The Ephs are coming off a successful season last year, where the squad finished the year as the No. 13 ranked team in the country and No. 4 team in the Northeast Region. Williams plays in the highly competitive NESCAC, where the team finished as the runner up at the conference championship last spring.   

Senior Jose Raventos returns as the team's top player from a season ago, finishing his junior year as the No. 6 ranked player in the ITA Northeast Region. Junior Rohan Shastri will also be a player to watch, as he finished as the No. 14 player in the Northeast. The Ephs also had a pair of doubles teams that finished inside the Top-15 regionally, including Alexander Schidlovsky/Jordan Sadowsky and Raventos/Shastri. Head coach Dan Greenberg is in his sixth season at Williams, and is two seasons removed from guiding the Ephs to the 2013 National Championship.     

Last Meeting: Williams swept doubles and won five of six in singles to come out ahead vs. Vassar the last time the teams met on September 17, 2015. Now-junior Juan Felipe Laso (Quito, Ecuador/Colegio American De Quito) picked up the lone victory for Vassar at No. 4, winning 7-5, 6-4.

Player of the Week: Junior Nick Litsky (St. Petersburg, FL/Shorecrest Prep. School) earned his fourth career selection as the Liberty League Singles Performer of the Week after winning his first singles match of the year on September 12. Litsky came out ahead 6-3, 6-0 over Mark Guentert of the Coast Guard at No. 1.

Wins at the Top: Despite dropping the team decision to the Coast Guard, the Brewers still had some bright spots. The team's No. 1-3 players (Nick Litsky, Daniel Cooper and Juan Felipe Laso) all claimed victories, while Litsky and freshman Nick Lee (Larchmont, NY/Mamaroneck) pulled off a win at No. 3 doubles. Vassar will have an opportunity to try a handful of different combinations at doubles throughout the fall.      

Local Success: Vassar had a handful of players in action in August at the Dutchess County Men's Amateur Open Singles Championship. Juan Felipe Laso took home the tournament trophy, besting teammate Evan Udine in the final at the Dutchess County Tennis Club in Rhinebeck, NY.

Geography Lesson: Vassar's 2015-16 roster features players from seven different states and one international (Ecuador). The most populous hometown state is California, with three players hailing from the Golden State.    

Coming up Next: Vassar will welcome teams from around the region to Joss Courts next weekend, September 25-27 for the ITA Northeast Regional Tennis Tournament.