WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - The George Washington men's tennis team wrapped the 2015 spring season in the first round of the NCAA Team Championship, falling to host No. 12 Wake Forest on Friday afternoon.
The Colonials (13-13) played a trio of close doubles matches, but the Demon Deacons' nationally ranked No. 13 pair of Skander Mansouri and Christian Seraphim took an 8-6 win over senior Francisco Dias and freshman Chris Fletcher at the top spot. An 8-5 victory at No. 2 gave Wake Forest (23-7) the early point, halting the No. 3 match in the midst of a 7-7 battle.
In singles action, Wake jumped out to a 2-0 lead with a win at the No. 4 slot. Dias battled in his second set against the nation's No. 6-ranked Noah Rubin at the top spot, but ultimately fell, 6-0, 6-3.
Fletcher fought hard at the No. 3 position, but fell, 6-4, 6-3, and the Demon Deacons clinched the match, 4-0, to advance to the second round.
In second-flight action, junior Danil Zelenkov was in the midst of a comeback, 4-6, 4-1, against No. 16 Romain Bogaerts when the match was halted, while sophomore Julius Tverijonas and Cahit Kapukiran were also locked in second-set battles at the Nos. 5 and 6 slots, respectively.
Dias will graduate as the program's winningest singles player with 87 triumphs, a trio of Atlantic 10 Most Outstanding Performer of the Year honors and a spot on the All-Conference First Team in each of his four seasons as a Colonial. The senior helped the Buff and Blue claim three A-10 titles during his tenure.
Eight Colonials are slated to return for the 2015-16 season.
#12 Wake Forest 4, George Washington 0
Singles
1. #6 Noah Rubin (WFU) def. Francisco Dias (GW) 6-0, 6-3
2. #16 Romain Bogaerts (WFU) vs. Danil Zelenkov (GW) 6-4, 2-4, DNF
3. Skander Mansouri (WFU) def. Chris Fletcher (GW) 6-4, 6-3
4. Christian Seraphim (WFU) def. Christos Hadjigeorgiou (GW) 6-1, 6-0
5. Keivon Tabrizi (WFU) vs. Julius Tverijonas (GW) 6-2, 5-4
6. Maksim Kan (WFU) vs. Cahit Kapukiran (GW) 7-5, 2-2
Doubles 1. #13 Skander Mansouri/Christian Seraphim (WFU) def. Francisco Dias/Chris Fletcher (GW) 8-6
2. Jon Ho/Noah Rubon (WFU) def. Danil Zelenkov/Julius Tverijonas (GW) 8-5
3. Keivon Tabrizi/Romain Bogaerts (WFU) vs. Chris Reynolds/Cahit Kapukiran (GW) 7-7 (3-3), DNF