UOIT Athletics Media Release
Thursday, September 11, 2008

Ridgebacks Tennis in Tough Against Waterloo

Waterloo, Ont. – The UOIT Ridgebacks men’s and women’s tennis teams began their 2008 campaign on Wednesday as they travelled to the University of Waterloo to take on the Warriors. Despite a strong effort from all of the players, the Ridgebacks dropped both games but managed to pick up their first points of the season.

Duo sport student-athlete Vanessa Johnstone (Niagara Falls, Ont.) defeated her opponent 6-0, 6-3 in singles action to earn the Ridgebacks lone point on the day. Johnstone will also be joining the Ridgebacks women’s hockey team this season. Before attending UOIT, she excelled at the high school varsity level, winning numerous championships playing hockey, tennis, badminton and baseball.

In men’s double action, the Ridgebacks put up a strong fight but came up just shy of winning their first point of the season. Doubles partners Lee Cockerham (Whitby, Ont.) and Jimmy Hann (St. John’s, Nfld.) defeated their opponents 8-7, but Waterloo won the other two matches 8-6 & 8-4 to take the doubles point in the match. Anirudh Thommandram (Toronto, Ont.) won the first set of his singles match but could not pick up the win as his opponent stormed back to take the match 2-1 (1-6, 6-1, 6-4). Thommandram was awarded the men’s tennis Scholastic Award at last season’s UOIT Athletic Banquet.

The Ridgebacks men’s tennis team will now head to McMaster on Friday, September 12 for a 1 p.m. match. McMaster is 0-1 on the season as they fell to Western 5-2.

The women’s team next action will be at home as they take on the York Lions. York is 1-0 after beating the University of Toronto Varsity Blues 4-3 in their opening game of the season. Action at the Campus Tennis Centre starts at 4:30 p.m.

GAME SUMMARIES

Men’s Tennis
Waterloo defeated UOIT 7-0

Doubles:
Waterloo defeated Ryan Coppola/Andrew Brown 8-6
Waterloo defeated Chris King/Anirudh Thommandram 8-4
Lee Cockerham/Jimmy Hann defeated Waterloo 7-8

Singles:
Waterloo defeated Ryan Coppola 6-2, 6-3
Waterloo defeated Andrew Brown 6-3, 6-2
Waterloo defeated Chris King 6-1, 6-1
Waterloo defeated Anirudh Thommandram 1-6, 6-1, 6-4
Waterloo defeated Nick Soldera 6-1, 6-4
Waterloo defeated Lee Cockerham 6-2, 6-0


Women’s Tennis
Waterloo defeated UOIT 6-1

Doubles:
Waterloo defeated Dawn O’Brien/Vanessa Johnstone 8-0
Waterloo defeated Dayle Murphy/Katie Procter 8-4

Singles:
Waterloo defeated Dawn O’Brien 6-2, 6-2
Waterloo defeated Dayle Murphy 6-1, 6-0
Vanessa Johnstone defeated Waterloo 6-0, 6-3
Waterloo defeated Katie Procter 6-2, 6-4
Waterloo defeated Stephanie Collings 6-2, 6-1

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FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Scott Dennis
Sports Information and Marketing Coordinator
Durham College and UOIT Athletics
905.721.2000 Ext. 2784 (P)
905.721.3117 (F)
scott.dennis@dc-uoit.ca