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American Captures Patriot League Championship in Dominating Fashion
Eagles Earn First-Ever Bid to NCAA Tournament

Match Results | April 28, 2002

Tushar Garg was named the Patriot League Tournament MVP after leading American to the team title. Garg went 2-0 at third singles and was 2-0 at third doubles with partner Andreas Kulscar.

COLLEGE PARK, MD — The weather outside was dreary and wet, and forced play of the 2002 Patriot League Championship match indoors. But the smiles on American's players faces afterward could have lit up all of Washington as the Eagles ran past Colgate, 4-0, to claim the team title.

The win gives American its first-ever league title in men's tennis and it will receive its first NCAA Tournament bid in the history of the program.

Records continued to fall today, as they have all season for this team. American set a new school record for wins in claiming its 19th, and Guillaume Tarralle set the school record for wins (23) while also extending his record winning streak to 16 matches.

Not to be outdone, the third doubles tandem of Tushar Garg, named the tournament's MVP, and Andreas Kulscar won again this afternoon to improve to an astounding 16-0 for the spring campaign.

The day started with heated doubles play, each match tightly contested. American jumped out to an early lead in the doubles with an 8-6 win from Garg and Kulscar at three's over Evan Paushter and J.P. Johnson.

With the second doubles match of AU's Tarralle and Kyle Bailey against Colgate's Alexander Lowe and Jon Bedard tied at eight, the doubles point was decided by the first doubles match.

American's Bence Hamori and Josh Procacci outlasted Reed Hagmann and Eric Saccullo, 8-6, giving the Eagles the key doubles point.

Moving to singles play, American jumped out to a quick lead. The Eagles won the first set in all six singles matches, and gained control of the match.

Tarralle was the first AU singles player to close out his match, winning four and two over the Raiders' Alexander Lowe at fifth singles.

Garg followed suit, gutting out a two-set win over Evan Ambrose at fourth singles, 6-2, 7-6 (7-5). Garg served for the match leading 5-4, but Ambrose broke to get back to five all. Each player then held serve to force the tiebreak, where Garg rallied from a 5-4 deficit to gain the victory.,

All attention turned to the Bailey/Bedard match, where Bailey held a 5-0 lead in the second set after breaking Bedard for the third time. Bailey served out the match, and won four and love, helping American secure the team championship.

The Eagles now await word of where they will be seeded in the upcoming NCAA Tournament. The selection show will be held Wednesday, May 1, at 6:30 p.m.