NEWPORT NEWS, VA -- The University of Delaware men’s and women’s tennis teams each defeated George Mason, 4-0, Thursday afternoon in the first round of the 2007 Colonial Athletic Association Championships at Huntington Park.

The seventh-seeded Delaware men improve to 8-10 on the season and advance to the CAA quarterfinals for the sixth-straight season. The Blue Hens will face second-seeded Old Dominion in the quarterfinals Friday at 2 p.m. The Monarchs are ranked No. 30 in the latest ITA rankings.

In singles action, Longacre topped Daniel Schneider 6-1, 6-2 at No. 2, Matt Liebman knocked off Jordan Lipstock, 6-1, 6-1 at No. 3 and Jon Schwartz won his seventh straight match by downing Matt Vaughn, 6-0, 6-2 at No. 5. Schwartz is now No. 27 all-time at Delaware in career singles victories with a 34-17 record.

Delaware captured the doubles point as Austin Longacre and Andrew Blumberg won their second straight match by defeating Jay Friedman and Lipstock, 8-6 at No. 1 doubles and the Hens’ Sam Barrer and Camilo Perez beat Mason’s Matt Schneider and Vaughn, 8-3 at No. 3.

In the only other first round match, No. 8 Hofstra edged No. 9 Drexel 4-2 to advance to the quarterfinals.

The Delaware women won their third-straight match to even their record at 10-10 on the season. The Blue Hens, who have now advanced to the quarterfinals in each of the last six years, will take on second-seeded Virginia Commonwealth Friday at 2 p.m. in the quarterfinals. The Rams are ranked No. 26 in the country.

In singles play, Campbell (at right) beat Alexandria La Coste, 6-2, 6-0 at No. 2, Brittany Barsky topped Alicia Van Zandt 6-2, 6-1 at No. 5 and Laura Honig won her third straight match by defeating Ellen Mathis 6-1, 6-2 at No. 6.

Delaware claimed the doubles point with an 8-4 victory by Elena Berry and Amanda Campbell over Mason’s Maricel Ballester and La Coste at No. 1, while Perlow and Julie Schiller, who move to 7-0 as a team this season, defeated Meredith Cutchin and Jennifer Kramer 8-1 at No. 3.

In other first round action, No. 6 James Madison breezed past No. 11 Hofstra 4-0 and No. 8 Towson topped No. 9 Drexel 4-1.

2007 Colonial Athletic Association Men’s and Women’s Tennis Championships First Round

AGATE:

Women: #7 Delaware def. #10 George Mason, 4-0

Singles: No.1: Elena Berry, D, vs. Maricel Ballester, GM, did not finish; No. 2: Amanda Campbell, D, def. Alex LaCoste, GM, 6-2, 6-0; No. 3: Liz Perlow, D, vs.
Julie Moscato, GM, did not finish; No. 4: Alexa Dragonette, D, vs. Meredith Cutchin, GM, did not finish; No. 5: Brittany Barsky, D, def. Alicia Van Zandt, GM, 6-2, 6-1; No. 6: Laura Honig, D, def. Ellen Mathis, GM, 6-1, 6-2.

Doubles: No. 1: Berry-Campbell, D, def. Ballester-LaCoste, GM, 8-4; No. 2: Dragonette-Barsky, D, vs. Moscato-Van Zandt, GM, did not finish; No. 3: Perlow-Julie Schiller, D, def. Cutchin-Jen Kramer, GM, 8-1.