FREDERICKSBURG, Va. -- In a showdown of the remaining unbeaten teams in the Capital Athletic Conference, the host and 28th-ranked Mary Washington Eagles defeated 20th-ranked Christopher Newport, 9-0. The Eagles (15-7, 7-0) remains unbeaten in conference play while the Captains (10-6, 4-1) suffered their first loss of the CAC season.
The loss snapped a six-match winning streak for the Captains, who fall to 4-4 this season against nationally-ranked opponents.
The match was hotly contested from the start, with all three doubles matchups featuring close battles. In both No. 2 and No. 3 doubles, both matches were won, 9-7, by the Eagles.
Justin Cerny and
Sam Thomson suffered the close loss at No. 2, downed by Eric Hurwitz and Nolan Perugini. Then, at No. 3,
Arttu Fiva and
Michael Dodd suffered the same fate to David Lunding-Johansson and Derek Hagino.
The third doubles match, played at the top line, pit the Captains' regionally-ranked tandem of
Chiraag Shetty and
Steven Boslet up against Brandon Griffin and Matt Miles. The Mary Washington pair won, 8-4, and the Eagles carried a 3-0 lead and momentum into singles play.
Shetty had the most success in singles play, taking a set from Hurwitz at the No. 3 line. The third-set breaker, settled in a pro-set because the match was already clinched by Mary Washington, went to 13 points as Shetty battled hard against Hurwitz, but was decided in favor of the home team, 6-3, 3-6, 13-11.
Cerny and Boslet both won six games in their straight set losses at Nos. 1 and 2, respectively. Griffin defeated Cerny (6-4, 6-2) and Lunding-Johansson dropped Boslet (6-3, 6-3).
The Captains will need a short memory in the setback, as they travel North to close out the CAC regular season on Sunday, April 10. CNU will face York (Pa.) at 9:00 am on Sunday, followed by a 2:30 matchup at Penn State Harrisburg, as the teams solidify their seeding for the postseason tournament.
