Acosta Propels Bobcats Past 14th-ranked TCNJ

April 16, 2008

EWING, N.J. — A thriller at No. 6 singles decided the match for the No. 27 Bates College men’s tennis team, which defeated No. 20 The College of New Jersey at TCNJ’s Tennis Complex on Wednesday.

Bates senior co-captain Danilo Acosta (Quito, Ecuador) battled back from being down 5-3 in the third set, fending off multiple match points to clinch the match in a 7-5, 5-7, 7-6 (4) thriller over the Lions’ Jonathan Yu at No. 6 singles.

The Bobcats finished their three-match southern swing a perfect 3-0 with wins over TCNJ, Swarthmore and Division I Lehigh, raising their overall record to 11-3. TCNJ dropped to 9-4 and saw their five-match win streak come to an end.

Bates’ top doubles pair, junior Ben Stein (Pelham, N.Y.) and sophomore Amrit Rupasinghe (Colombo, Sri Lanka), extended their record to 10-2 this spring with an 8-4 victory over Lions seniors Mike Klimchak and Roger Mosteller. Stein and Rupasinghe are the top-ranked doubles team in the Northeast, while the TCNJ pair is ranked third.

Sophomores Max Berger (Concord, N.H.) and Ryan Mannelly (New Canaan, Conn.) won an 8-5 decision at No. 3 doubles to give Bates a 2-1 edge heading into singles.

Stein, the No. 7 ranked singles player in the Northeast, dropped a 6-4, 6-3 decision to Klimchak at No. 1 singles, but Rupasinghe, currently unranked regionally, recorded a 6-3, 6-3 victory over No. 19-ranked Eric Ferriere at No. 2 singles. Berger defeated Mosteller at No. 4 singles in straight sets and Acosta won at No. 6.

Bates will host NESCAC rivals Connecticut College and Williams College this weekend. The Camels visit Saturday at 2 p.m., followed by the Ephs Sunday at 2 p.m.

Acosta has recently been awarded the Lindholm Scholar-Athlete Award, which goes to the male and female Bates varsity athletes who graduate with the highest respective grade point averages in their class.

#23 Bates College 5, #14 The College of New Jersey 4

Doubles
1. Benjamin Stein/Amrit Rupasinghe (BATESM) def. Michael Klimchak/Roger Mosteller (TCNJ-MEN) 8-4
2. Jeremy Eckardt/Eric Ferriere (TCNJ-MEN) def. Zach Fenno/Danilo Acosta (BATESM) 8-3
3. Maxwell Berger/Ryan Mannelly (BATESM) def. James Vance/Jonathan Yu (TCNJ-MEN) 8-5

Singles
1. Michael Klimchak (TCNJ-MEN) def. Benjamin Stein (BATESM) 6-4, 6-3
2. Amrit Rupasinghe (BATESM) def. Eric Ferriere (TCNJ-MEN) 6-3, 6-3
3. Jeremy Eckardt (TCNJ-MEN) def. Michael Reiss (BATESM) 6-1, 7-6 (6)
4. Maxwell Berger (BATESM) def. Roger Mosteller (TCNJ-MEN) 7-5, 6-1
5. Matt Pierson (TCNJ-MEN) def. Zach Fenno (BATESM) 6-7 (4), 6-3, 6-3
6. Danilo Acosta (BATESM) def. Jonathan Yu (TCNJ-MEN) 7-5, 5-7, 7-6 (4)

Men Blank Swarthmore, 9-0

April 15, 2008

SWARTHMORE, Pa. — The Bates College men’s tennis team won its 10th match against three losses this year Tuesday with a 9-0 non-conference victory at Swarthmore College.

The Bobcats, ranked No. 27 in Division III and No. 7 in the Northeast, won in straight sets at five out of six singles positions and outlasted the host Garnet (5-8) at all three doubles spots.

Bates concludes its Southern swing with a match at The College of New Jersey, ranked No. 5 in the Northeast, tomorrow.

Tennis Match Results
Bates vs Swarthmore
Apr 15, 2008 at Swarthmore, Pa.

#27 Bates 9, Swarthmore 0

Singles
1. Benjamin Stein (BATES) def. Jonathan Lo (SWAT) 6-2, 6-2
2. Amrit Rupasinghe (BATES) def. Kevin Shaughnessy (SWAT) 7-5, 6-1
3. Michael Reiss (BATES) def. JJ England (SWAT) 6-3, 6-1
4. Maxwell Berger (BATES) def. Mark Wee (SWAT) 6-1, 6-1
5. Zach Fenno (BATES) def. Mark Greenburg (SWAT) 6-0, 6-7 (3-7), 10-7
6. Danilo Acosta (BATES) def. Justin diFeliciantonio (SWAT) 7-5, 6-0

Doubles
1. Amrit Rupasinghe/Ben Stein (BATES) def. Jonathan Lo/Kevin
Shaughnessy (SWAT) 8-6
2. Zach Fenno/Danilo Acosta (BATES) def. JJ England/Mark Greenburg (SWAT) 8-6
3. Maxwell Berger/Ryan Mannelly (BATES) def. J. diFeliciantonio/Mark Wee
(SWAT) 8-4

Men Dominant at Division I Lehigh

April 13, 2008

Stein	Rupasinghe
Reiss	Berger
Fenno	Acosta

BETHLEHEM, Pa. — The Bates College men’s tennis team scored a 6-1 victory at Division I Lehigh University on Sunday inside the Lewis Tennis Center, moving to 9-3 on the season.

Bates lost its lone point at No. 6 singles in dominating the host Mountain Hawks with victories at all three doubles positions and posting straight-set wins at Nos. 2 through 5 singles. Junior Ben Stein (Pelham, N.Y.) won 9-7 in a pro-set tiebreaker at No. 1 singles over Lehigh’s John Nespoli, and teamed with sophomore Amrit Rupasinghe (Colombo, Sri Lanka) to win 9-7 at No. 1 doubles.

Rupasinghe and sophomore teammtes Mike Reiss (Rockville Centre, N.Y.), Max Berger (Concord, N.H.) and Zach Fenno (Armonk, N.Y.) took singles wins at 2 through 5, respectively. Fenno teamed up with senior Danilo Acosta (Quito, Ecuador) for an 8-4 win at No. 2 doubles, and Berger partnered with sophomore Ryan Mannelly (New Canaan, Conn.) for an 8-6 win at third doubles.

Bates continues its southern swing with a match at Swarthmore College on Tuesday at 3 p.m.

Bates 6, Lehigh 1

Doubles
1. Stein/Rupasinghe (Bates) def. Nespoli/List (LU) 9-7
2. Fenno/Acosta (Bates) def. Pacheco/Silbert (LU) 8-4
3. Berger/Mannelly (Bates) def. Bolcar/Bolcar (LU) 8-6

Singles
1. Ben Stein (Bates) def. John Nespoli (LU) 9-7
2. Amrit Rupasinghe (Bates) def. Troy List (LU) 7-6, 6-3
3. Mike Reiss (Bates) def. J.T. Bolcar (LU) 6-2, 6-3
4. Max Berger (Bates) def. Arnaldo Pacheco (LU) 7-6, 6-2
5. Zack Fenno (Bates) def. Chris Collins (LU) 6-4, 7-5
6. Cameron Silbert (LU) def. Danilo Acosta (Bates) 7-6, 3-6, 6-3

Women Triumph at Smith, Mt. Holyoke, 8-1

SOUTH HADLEY and NORTHAMPTON, Mass. — Fueled by singles sweeps in both matches, the Bates College women’s tennis team picked up a pair of 8-1 victories on Saturday, first at Mount Holyoke on Saturday morning and later in the afternoon at Smith College.

The Bobcats raised their overall record this year to 4-7, 4-6 against Division III opponents.

Bates’ 8-1 victory over Mount Holyoke College Saturday morning at the Mount Holyoke Indoor Courts was the Bobcats’ third consecutive win over the Lyons (2-5).

Senior Cecilia Grissa (Doylestown, Pa.) and sophomore Alex Piacquad (Yardley, Pa.) teamed up for an 8-6 win at No. 1 doubles, before both players registered 6-3, 6-1 victories at first and second singles, respectively. Senior Liz Fleming (Weston, Conn.) and sophomore Jean Gulliver (Falmouth, Maine) teamed up to win at No. 3 doubles and also won at fifth and sixth singles, respectively.

The Bobcats traveled to nearby Smith College and handed the host Pioneers their sixth loss of the season against three wins.

Bates is slated to visit Lehigh University next Sunday for Bobcats’ third of five straight road matches.

Bates 8, Mount Holyoke 1
Doubles
1. Cecilia Grissa/Alexandra Piacquad (BAT) def. Natalie Hsiang/Meaghan Sloane (MHC), 8-6
2. Sarah London/Beatrix Hartmann (MHC) def. Caryn Benisch/Mallika Raghavan (BAT), 8-5
3. Liz Fleming/Jean Gulliver (BAT) def. Eleni Scordilis/Elise Marifian (MHC), 8-4

Singles
1. Grissa (BAT) def. Sloane (MHC), 6-3, 6-1
2. Piacquad (BAT) def. Marifian (MHC), 6-3, 6-1
3. Benisch (BAT) def. London (MHC), 6-0, 6-3
4. Raghavan (BAT) def. Hartmann (MHC), 6-1, 6-4
5. Fleming (BAT) def. Elizabeth Tighe (MHC), 6-3, 6-1
6. Gulliver (BAT) def. Scordilis (MHC), 6-4, 6-0

Bates 8, Smith 1
Doubles
1. Diana Fiumefreddo/Miyu Kikuchi def. Cecilia Grissa/Alex Piacquad, 8-6
2. Mallika Raghavan/Caryn Benisch def. Catherine Hill-Lydecker/Alanna Dick, 8-6
3. Liz Fleming/Jean Gulliver def. Tina Jackson/Seiko Fujii, 8-3

Singles
1. Grissa def. Fiumefreddo, 6-3, 6-1
2. Piacquad def. Kikuchi, 6-2, 6-3
3. Benisch def. Hill-Lydecker, 6-4, 7-6 (4)
4. Raghavan def. Fuji, 6-1, 6-7 (5), (10-5)
5. Fleming def. Dick, 6-1, 6-1
6. Gulliver def Mincy Chu, 6-2, 6-1

Men’s Winning Streak Continues

The men’s tennis team continued its winning ways defeating in-state foe, University of Southern Maine, 9-0.  Bates recently breezed through Babson (9-0), NYU (8-1), MIT (8-1), Brandeis (9-0), and Colby (7-2).  The Bobcats look to continue their winning ways against NESCAC rivals Bowdoin and Tufts in the next week.

Raghavan Semifinalist for the Prestigious Wooden Citizenship Cup

Raghavan (center) organized Thai farmers Samrat Thong-Iam’s (left) and Man Samsee’s (right) visit to Bates during their national tour. Photograph by Rene Minnis.

Bates College senior Mallika Raghavan has earned distinction as a semifinalist for The Coach Wooden Citizenship Cup, a national award recognizing the most outstanding role models among athletes.

Raghavan (Chappaqua, N.Y.) is one of 14 semifinalists for the Wooden Cup, and the only tennis player or Division III athlete on that list. There are five others who have earned finalist honors, one of whom will be announced on Jan. 24 as the Wooden Cup’s college recipient.

A politics major at Bates, Raghavan has already acquired considerable experience doing volunteer work in the area of health, poverty, and development issues. As detailed by Arlene MacLeod, Associate Professor and Chair of the Politics Department at Bates, while studying in Thailand, Raghavan “worked with Thai organic jasmine rice farmers from Surin and helped them take their organic rice sales to a global market. This project helped rice farmers, but also educated students in the U.S. about fair trade. Mallika worked with a small group of students and an non-governmental organization (NGO) to bring two farmers from Surin to the Northeast and California to speak about Thailand and fair trade. She has also worked with the dining services at Bates to institute Fair Trade Rice on a regular basis.

Raghavan has earned a reputation as a hard worker and gritty competitor.

Raghavan, MacLeod continues, “has also worked with an NGO called Pratham that works to eradicate illiteracy and provide education for poor children in India. In another example, Mallika, in 2004, after the tsunami hit Southeast Asia and Asia, started a small volunteer project called Vastra (meaning clothing in Hindi). Working with Share and Care, a small NGO that sends needed supplies to India, she collected clothing for victims and sent them to India. The project was initially limited to close family and friends, but the project gained recognition in India Abroad (an Indian-American newspaper that circulates around North America) and people from all across the United States sent clothing to her home for distribution. She collected clothing (about 2000 pounds) and all of it was sent to India.”

Also while in Thailand, MacLeod writes, Raghavan “worked with a number of HIV/AIDS communities and the Mahasarakham Hospital to understand how rural areas were affected. She conducted interviews as well as wrote an article in the NGO ENGAGE’s annual publication. She worked to connect these HIV communities with advocates in Northeast Thailand, whom she had met through her study abroad program.

“Mallika is a considerate, thoughtful and very hard-working person, and I think she’s a great example of what Bates students stand for and can achieve,” wrote MacLeod.

Raghavan is co-captain of the women’s tennis team at Bates and will earn her fourth varsity letter this year. In a defining moment of her tennis career, she showed grit in the team’s final match of the fall 2005 season, winning the deciding singles match in a tiebreaker to lift Bates to a 5-4 victory at Babson. “Mallika prepared and worked to be able to compete with the upper echelon players at her position,” said Bates head tennis coach Paul Gastonguay. “She developed parts of her game that allowed her to become an aggressive, all-court player. I believe she is the ultimate example of an athlete who shares her talents and abilities to help others.”

Athletes for a Better World - “2008 Wooden Citizenship Cup Winners Announced”

Read the Bates Magazine story about ENGAGE featuring Mallika Raghavan

-Office of Communications and Media Relations

For additional information on community outreach and volunteer opportunities, visit the Harward Center website.

Men Conclude Successful Fall Season

The youthful and talented men’s team continued its ascendancy in the East during the brief fall season. Captains Ben Stein ’09 and Danilo Acosta ’08 led the Bobcats to a strong showing at the Middlebury Invitational. Stein reached the finals of the A-Flight of singles. Acosta earned Bobcat of the Week honors after winning the C-Flight of singles and reaching the finals of the B-Flight of doubles with Zach Fenno ’10. Fall invitational tournaments are a good opportunity to test out our talent and to get some match experience against some of the top teams in the region. The ITA Regional Championship indicates where we stack up against the top players in the Northeast. Stein emphasized why he is one of the elite players in arguably the nation’s strongest region. cruising through to the semifinals of singles, where he fell in a hard-fought 3-set contest. Stein joined the Sri Lankan Men’s National Champion and Davis Cup Member, Amrit Rupasinghe ’10, to reach the finals of the doubles Championships, where they lost a very closely contested match to the eventual ITA Small College National Champions. In the first duel match of the season, the Bobcats soundly defeated NESCAC opponent Wesleyan, 9-0. Dedicated to working hard in the off-season, the men’s team looks forward to improving upon its past success when the spring season rolls around.

Ryan Mannelly ‘10

Women Look to Build Upon Strong Fall Season

The women’s team opened up its fall season with a resounding victory over the University of Southern Maine, 9-0, dropping only three games throughout the entire match. At the ITA Championships, Cecilia Grissa ’08 and Alex Piacquad ’10 defeated a strong Amherst team, who was later a top seed at the New England Women’s Intercollegiate Tennis Tournament (NEWITT). Grissa’s success continued at the NEWITT tournament, reaching the quarterfinals of the #1 Singles flight. Captain Mallika Raghavan ’08 and Liz Fleming ’08 had a strong showing in the #2 doubles flight, reaching the Round of 16 before falling in a hotly contested match. The Bobcats anticipate the return of Captain Caryn Benisch ’09, who studied abroad in Cairo during the fall semester. The women will continue their hard work and are hopeful that their efforts during the offseason will pay dividends in the spring.

  Cecilia Grissa ‘08

Men’s Tennis Rolls Over Wesleyan, 9-0

October 7, 2007

MIDDLETOWN, Conn. — Playing its first head-to-head match of the year, the Bates College men’s tennis team routed NESCAC rival Wesleyan University by a 9-0 score Sunday, dropping the host Cardinals to 1-2.

Bates hosts the annual Wallach Invitational this weekend, starting Saturday at 9 a.m. at the Wallach Tennis Center.

Bates College (1-0) 9, Wesleyan University (1-2) 0

SINGLES
#1 - Ben Stein (B) def. Matt O’Connell (W), 6-1, 0-6, 6-2
#2 - Amrit Rupasinghe (B) def. Pauri Pandian (W), 6-2, 6-0
#3 - Mike Reiss (B) def. Michael Frank (W), 6-1, 6-0
#4 - Ryan Mannelly (B) def. Paul Gerdes (W), 6-1, 4-6, (10-3)
#5 - Zach Fenno (B) def. Roy Chung (W), 6-0, 7-5
#6 - Danilo Acosta (B) def. Jaafar Rizvi (W), 6-3, 7-6 (0)

DOUBLES
#1 - Stein/Rupasinghe (B) def. O’Connell/Rizvi (W), 8-3
#2 - Max Berger/Mannelly (B) def. Pandian/Alejandro Alvarado (W), 8-2
#3 - Fenno/Acosta (B) def. Max Schenkein/Matt Schaff (W), 8-2

Bobcats Shine at ITA Championships

September 30, 2007

Amrit Rupasinghe ‘10 (left) and Ben Stein ‘09

WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — Bates College junior Ben Stein was a semifinalist in singles and a finalist in doubles with sophomore teammate Amrit Rupasinghe to highlight the Bobcats men’s tennis team’s weekend at the ITA Division III Men’s Regional Championships, hosted by Williams College.

Seeded fourth in the 56-player field, Stein (Pelham, N.Y.) reached the semifinals by beating Steven Nieman of Brandeis 6-4, 6-4, Mike Mintz of Amherst, 6-2, 6-0 in a round of 16 match, and beating the fifth-seeded Andrew Thomson of Middlebury, 6-2, 1-6, 6-2 in the quarterfinals. Trinity’s Spencer Feldman ended Stein’s run in a semifinal battle, 2-6, 6-4, 7-5.

Meanwhile, Stein and Rupasinghe (Colombo, Sri Lanka) advanced four rounds in the doubles bracket to meet Middlebury’s Marinkovic/Thomson duo in the championship round, where they dropped a narrow 8-6 decision. The unseeded Bobcat pair defeated, in order, Neely/Fried of Bowdoin (8-5), Furnaga/Devlin of Williams (9-7), Wan/Schwartz of Amherst (by withdrawal) and Gates/Sullivan of Bowdoin (8-6) in the semifinals.

On the other side of the doubles bracket, Bates sophomores Maxwell Berger (Concord, N.H.) and Ryan Mannelly (New Canaan, Conn.) teamed up to defeat Braude/Whitter of UMass-Boston 8-3 before bowing out to top-seeded Lerner/Avrahami of Amherst 8-4.

Bates sophomore Michael Reiss (Rockville Centre, N.Y.) advanced two rounds in the singles bracket, downing Eliot Jia of Middlebury (7-5, 6-2) and Nick Lebedoff of Williams (2-1 ret.) before Feldman ended his run as well.

Rupasinghe and Berger also won their opening-round singles matches.