NEW HAVEN, Conn. – The Bulldogs competed a weekend sweep of two ranked Ivy League opponents with a 4-3 victory over No. 45 Columbia at home Saturday to improve to 14-7 on the season and 3-1 in the Ivy League. 

Yale won two of three doubles matches to claim the doubles point in the victory.  At No. 1 doubles, the doubles team of sophomore Erik Blumenkranz and sophomore Joel Samaha rolled to an 8-2 win over Mihai Nichifor and Jonathan Wong.  The duo of junior Calvin Bennett and freshman Marc Powers defeated Haig Schneiderman and Nathanial Gery 8-5 at No. 2 doubles. 

Powers continued his dominance in the Ivy League with a straight set 7-5, 6-1 victory at No. 1 singles over Wong.  Powers is now 4-0 in Ivy League play.  Fellow freshman Daniel Hoffman cruised to a 6-2, 6-2 win at No. 4 singles over Rajeev Deb-Sen. 

Blumenkranz clinched the victory for the Bulldogs with a three-set win at No. 6 singles.  Blumenkranz battled to a 7-6, 1-6, 7-5 win over Gery. 

Defending Ivy League Champion Columbia fell to 14-4 overall and 4-1 in the Ivy League with the loss. 

The Bulldogs will be back in action Friday when they host Dartmouth.  Yale then travels to Cambridge to take on No. 69 Harvard Sunday. 

Complete Results

Singles
1.  Marc Powers (Y) def. Jonathan Wong (C), 7-6, 6-1
2.  Mihai Nichifor (C) def. John Huang (Y), 7-5, 6-7, 6-2
3.  Haig Schneiderman (C) def. Calvin Bennett (Y), 6-4, 3-6, 7-6
4.  Daniel Hoffman (Y) def. Rajeev Deb-Sen (C), 6-2, 6-2
5.  Kevin Kung (C) def. Connor Dawson (Y), 3-6, 6-3, 6-1
6.  Erik Blumenkranz (Y) def. Nathaniel Gery (C), 7-6, 1-6, 7-5

Doubles
1.  Blumenkranz / Joel Samaha (Y) def. Nichifor / Wong (C), 8-2
2.  Bennett / Powers (Y) def. Schneiderman / Gery (C), 8-5
3.  Deb-Sen / Kung (C) def. Huang / Hoffman (Y), 8-3

Report Filed by Steven Horn '10, Yale Sports Publicity