Bearcats blanked by Cornell 7-0

ITHACA, N.Y. - Cornell (9-1) won eight of the nine matches and rolled to a 7-0 win over visiting Binghamton (8-6) Saturday afternoon at Reis Tennis Center. The Bearcats' lone win came at first doubles, where the tandem of sophomore Akshay Rao (New Delhi, India) and senior Brad Sherwood (Bronx, N.Y./Fordham/Prep) scored an 8-6 win. Three of the six singles matches went to a third set, but the Big Red won each battle to complete the shutout.

"We didn't play bad, but Cornell was just better than us," BU head coach Michael Starke said. "We had some bright spots, but Ivy League is at a level we're not quite at yet."

At first singles, Rao was defeated for just the third time in 24 matches this year. He won the first set, 6-4, before his Cornell opponent rallied to take the match in a third-set super tie-break (first to 10 points).

Freshman Edwin Gerard (Queens, N.Y./Edgemont) made his collegiate debut, both at second doubles and third singles.

Binghamton is off until traveling to Orlando, Fla. for four matches between March 9-13.

COMPLETE RESULTS
Cornell 7, Binghamton 0

DOUBLES
Akshay Rao/Brad Sherwood (BU) def. Julian Cheng/Matt Cherner-Ranft (C), 8-6
Scott Spencer/Brett McKeon (C) def. Brad Davidoff/Edwin Gerard (BU), 8-6
Aravinda Neuman/Scott Paltrowitz (C) def. Steve Spencer/Krishna Vallabhaneni (BU), 8-1

SINGLES
Scott Paltrowitz (C) def. Akshay Rao (BU), 4-6, 6-2, 1-0 (10-6)
Aravinda Neuman (C) def. Brad Davidoff (BU), 6-4, 6-2
Scott Spencer (C) def. Edwin Gerard (BU), 7-5, 6-2
Mike Laycob (C) def. Brad Sherwood (BU), 6-0, 6-2
Ray Wu (C) def. Brian O'Connor (BU), 3-6, 7-5, 1-0 (10-1)
Matt Cherner-Ranft (C) def. Steve Spcner (BU), 4-6, 6-1, 6-3