April 22, 2005

TAMPA, Fla. - On the first day of competition at the Big East Championship, No. 6 seed Villanova (7-14) was defeated 4-0 by No. 3 seed Rutgers (7-8), forcing the Wildcats into Friday's consolation bracket, where they will play for fifth place. The Scarlet Knights won two of three doubles matches to claim the first point in the match, and then won three singles matches to clinch the victory.

Rutgers scored 8-2 victories in both the first and third doubles matches to start the match. Tyler Deming and Gordie Milchutsky defeated the Wildcat tandem of Aaron Kusza and Ricardo Baraldi at the top spot, while Arjun Vaidya and Raphael Goldwaser topped Scott Fahrendorf and Charlier Farmer in the decisive third match. At second doubles, Villanova held a 5-2 lead behind Sean Gallagher and Dimitri Chimerakis before the match was stopped.

The Scarlet Knights then claimed wins at second and fourth singles before Kusza was forced to retire during his first singles showdown with Tyler Deming, deciding the match. Baraldi was defeated 6-3, 7-6 (2) at second singles, and Angel Rubio lost consecutive 6-2, 6-2 sets at the fourth spot. Kusza took the opening set from Deming, 6-3, but trailed 6-3, 0-6, 0-3 when he retired.

When Rutgers clinched the match, the Wildcats held the lead in the fifth singles match and was tied at third singles. Fahrendorf lost the opening set 6-4 in the fifth spot, but came back to tie the match with a 7-5 win in the second frame. He was leading 4-3 in the third set. At third singles, Chimerakis lost a first-set tiebreaker 7-6 (7) but was leading 4-0 in the second set. Gallagher trailed 7-5, 4-3 in his sixth singles match.

Villanova faces Georgetown (6-8) on Friday at 3 p.m. in a match to decide fifth and sixth place. The Hoyas defeated the Wildcats earlier this season 5-2.

DOUBLES

Tyler Deming/Gordie Milchutsky (RU) def. Aaron Kusza/Ricardo Baraldi (VU) 8-2
Matt Fawcett/Jonathan Wanono (RU) vs. Sean Gallagher/Dimitri Chimerakis (VU) 5-2 (DNF)
Arjun Vaidya/Raphael Goldwaser (RU) def. Scott Fahrendorf/Charlie Farmer (VU) 8-2*

SINGLES

Tyler Deming (RU) def. Aaron Kusza (VU) 3-6, 6-0, 3-0 (ret.)*
Gordie Milchutsky (RU) def. Ricardo Baraldi (VU) 6-3, 7-6 (7-2)
Matt Fawcett (RU) vs. Dimitri Chimerakis (VU) 7-6 (9-7), 0-4 (DNF)
Arjun Vaidya (RU) def. Angel Rubio (VU) 6-2, 6-2
Jonathan Wanono (RU) vs. Scott Fahrendorf (VU) 6-4, 5-7, 3-4 (DNF)
Bert Baggio (RU) vs. Sean Gallagher (VU) 7-5, 4-3 (DNF)

* - deciding match