Feb. 13, 2003

Ithaca, N.Y. - Villanova men's tennis opened their 2003 spring season at the Cornell Invitational on February 7 and 8. The Wildcats enter the spring season following a successful fall season in which Villanova finished 8-2 overall.

On the 7th the 'Cats faced the University of Buffalo and fell to the Mid-American school 5-2. Villanova's two points came in the teams lone doubles match where senior Lucas Kaster (Minneapolis, Minn./De LaSalle) and junior John Toppel (Los Altos, Calif./Bellarmine Prep) won in three sets (6-7, 6-3, 1-0).

The Wildcats struggles continued on the second day of the Invitational as Villanova fell to Niagra University 5-2. The doubles team of Kaster and senior Ryan Devine (Oshkosh, Wis./Oshkosh West) accounted for the two Wildcat points.

Villanova faced Marist University also on the second day of the Invitational. The 'Cats fell to the Red Foxes of Marist by 6-1. Senior Ryan Devine defeated Mark Santucci, 6-4, 5-7, 1-0, for Villanova's lone point.

Next up for the Wildcats is a spring break trip, March 3-6, to California where Villanova will take on Vanguard University, UC San Diego, and Pt. Loma Nazarene in San Diego, Calif.