GENEVA, N.Y. – The Ithaca College men's tennis team was back in Liberty League action on Thursday evening when it looked to rebound from its first League loss to undefeated Skidmore over the weekend. Unfortunately, Hobart had other ideas, as the Statesmen pulled away during the singles session for a 7-2 decision in their Liberty League home opener in Geneva, N.Y.

The Bombers got off to mixed results during the doubles session. Hobart was able to score the early 2-0 advantage with convincing wins in the first-doubles and third-doubles matchups. The sophomore duo of Max Prestwich and Liam Spiegel struggled to get anything going, failing to score a game in an 8-0 shutout to David Reinharz and Patrick Gray in the third-flight matchup. Shortly after the Statesmen doubled the lead with another comfortable win in the first matchup. Junior Sam McGrath and senior Lorenzo Viguie-Ramos was able to pull out two games, but Alan Dubrovsky and Jonah Salita were too much in an 8-2 decision.

Unlike this past Sunday, the Bombers were able to pull out a big matchup in second-doubles to hang around in the match. Sophomores Minos Stavrakas and Colten Lavery did not let things slip away this time around, converting the win over Jon Atwater and Walker Anderson 8-6 to cut the team score deficit to 2-1 heading into the singles session.

Sadly, that was as close as Ithaca would get in the contest. Hobart was able to pick up straight-sets victories in the second-through-fifth singles bouts to clinch the victory. For the most part the Bombers showed solid improvement in the second set of those matchups, as Lavery, Prestwich and Spiegel each scored three games in the second frame. Unfortunately, none of three were able to get over the hump to force a decisive third set.

The highlight of Ithaca's singles session again came in the top matchup, as Stavrakas won his fourth straight singles matchup in Liberty League action to begin the league slate. He bested Salita in straight sets 6-3, 6-4. Sophomore Sam Fried also turned in a second straight solid effort in the sixth-singles matchup. He was able to snag the second set in his matchup against Colin Molloy, but ultimately fell in the third-set super-breaker to drop the match as Molloy won 6-3, 3-6, 10-6.

Doubles
1. Jonah Salita/Alan Dubrovsky (HOBART) def. Sam McGrath/Lorenzo Viguie-Ramos (ITHACA) | 8-2
2. Minos Stavrakas/Colten Lavery (ITHACA) def. Walker Anderson/Jonathan Atwater (HOBART) | 8-6
3. Patrick Gray/David Reinharz (HOBART) def. Max Prestwich/Liam Spiegel (ITHACA) | 8-0
Singles
1. Minos Stavrakas (ITHACA) def. Jonah Salita (HOBART) | 6-3, 6-4
2. #31 Alan Dubrovsky (HOBART) def. Sam McGrath (ITHACA) | 6-2, 6-0
3. Jon Atwater (HOBART) def. Colten Lavery (ITHACA) | 6-1, 6-3
4. Walker Anderson (HOBART) def. Max Prestwich (ITHACA) | 6-2, 6-3
5. David Reinharz (HOBART) def. Liam Spiegel (ITHACA) | 6-1, 6-3
6. Colin Molloy (HOBART) def. Sam Fried (ITHACA) | 6-3, 3-6, 10-6

Ithaca is back in action looking to snap its two-match slide in Liberty League play when it faces another challenging road test at third-place Vassar on Saturday, March 31.