Cardinals Improve to 3-1 After Four of Six Matches During Training Mission in Orlando, Fla.

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Five Cardinals, including Jaafar Rizvi '09 (main photo), were winners in both singles and doubles as Wesleyan opened its six-match training trip to Orlando, Fla., with a 9-0 victory over St. Ambrose Sun., March 8. Since then the team fell to Aquinas, 7-2, Tues., March 10 but rebounded with a pair of wins Wed., March 11, defeating Rochester, 6-3, and Oxford College of Emory U., 5-4.

Rizvi was a 6-2, 6-2 victor at #4 singles vs. St. Ambrose and joined #1 singles winner Matt O'Connell '09 for an 8-2 win at #1 doubles. Paul Gerdes '09 won his match at #3 singles without losing a game and at #3 doubles, 8-4. Michael Piderit '12 dropped just one game at #5 singles and was partnered with Graham Immerman '09, who won in straight sets at #2 singles, for a win at #2 doubles.

Against Aquinas, Wesleyan took just one singles and one doubles match in dropping a 7-2 decision. Winning for the Cardinals at #6 singles was Alejandro Alvarado '09 (photo insert lower left) in straight sets while Rizvi and O'Connell joined forces for an 8-3 victory from the top doubles spot.

O'Connell, Immerman and Piderit were the keys to victory over Rochester as each won at singles (#1, #2 and #5, respectively) and doubles (O'Connell with Rizvi at #1 and Immerman with Piderit at #2), providing enough wins for a team triumph.

Wesleyan had the luxury of resting its entire starting lineup vs. Oxford and still pull out a win with its strength at the #4-#6 spots. Alec Dinnin '11, Stefan Golangco '11 and Steve Hauser '11 were involved in the five wins, each at singles (#4, #5 and #6, respectively) while Golancgo teamed with Hauser for an 8-5 doubles win at #3 and Dinnin was paired with Garrett Blank '11 at #2 and produced an 8-3 win.

Wesleyan finishes is southern action with another double-header Thurs., March 12, facing St. Francis (IL) and Michigan Tech.