March 2, 2006

Fairfax, Va.-The Mason men's tennis defeated Shepherd University 6-1 in their opening home match of the season to improve to 1-2 on the spring dual season.

Mason swept the first five singles matches, including three matches that were easily won by the Patriots in singles No. 3 through 5. Jay Friedman didn't lose a game at the No. 4 singles position, defeating Eric Stevenson. The first two singles matches were very competitive between the Rams and the Patriots. Mason Stephan Dufils at No. 1 lost the first set, 6-2, but defeated the Rams Casey Moser by winning the final two sets (2-6, 6-0, 6-3). The Patriots Farshad Garakani had to go to two tiebreakers en route to victory in two sets, 7-6(7-4), 7-6(7-2) at the No. 2 singles.

Mason's Jordan Lipstock at No. 3 singles defeated Arthur Ebeling (6-1, 6-3) and Dan Schneider defeated Andy Bosco, 6-0, 6-3. The Rams lone point came at the No. 6 singles as Scott Haweti defeated Eric Vogel 7-5, 6-2 (10-7).

Mason's doubles teams all were victorious. Dufils and Lipstock won 9-7 at No. 1; Garakani/Schneider won 8-5; and the team of Vogel/Friedman won 8-4 to earn the doubles point.

Mason was originally scheduled to play Mount St. Mary's on March 2 but has been rescheduled for April 5 at 3 p.m. The team will be back in action Saturday, March 10 when they travel into Washington, DC to take on Catholic at 3 p.m.

George Mason 6 Shepherd 1
Singles
#1	Stephan Dufils (Mason) def. Casey Moser, 2-6, 6-0, 6-3
#2	Farshad Garakani (Mason) def. David Seifarth, 7-6(7-4), 7-6(7-2)
#3	Jordan Lipstock (Mason) def. Arthur Ebeling, 6-1, 6-3
#4 	Jay Friedman (Mason) def. Eric Stevenson, 6-0, 6-0
#5	Dan Schneider (Mason) def. Andy Bosco, 6-0, 6-3
#6	Scott Haserti (SU) def. Eric Vogel (Mason), 7-5, 6-2 (10-7)
Doubles
#1	Dufils/Lipstock (Mason) def. Moser/Stevenson, 9-7
#2	Garakani/Schneider (Mason) def. Seifarth/Ebeling, 8-5
#3	Vogel/Friedman (Mason) def. Bosco/Haserti, 8-4