Score: Gardner-Webb 4, VCU 1
Location: Davidson, N.C. 
Records: VCU 4-3 (2-0 Atlantic-10), Gardner-Webb 3-1
 
The Short Story: VCU Men's Tennis dropped a 4-1 decision to Gardner-Webb on Saturday evening, with Erwann Bouchet securing the Rams only point at No. 2 singles.
 
Quote from Coach Kutrovsky: "Tough match with some sick and injured guys, but we still gave ourselves a chance, just didn't get it. The opportunity was there but we weren't able to capitalize on it. Continuing the journey."
 
Opening Serve

• The Rams entered the match riding momentum from back-to-back Atlantic 10 victories; a 5-2 win over Richmond and a 4-0 sweep of Davidson just a day prior. Gardner-Webb entered the match following wins over UT Chattanooga and Sewanee, with its only loss of the season coming against Charlotte.
• The story of the match was VCU's limited availability, as three of the Rams' eight players did not feature.
• One positive for the Rams was the return of senior Alfred Almasi, a 2025 First Team All-Conference selection, who made his season debut in today's match.

Doubles

• VCU earned a 6-4 win on court two from Nicolo Consonni and Patrik Petera to begin doubles play. But a 6-8 result on court one and a forfeit on court three secured the doubles point for the Bulldogs. Consonni moved to 6-1 in doubles this spring, while the win marked Petera's first collegiate doubles victory.

Singles

• The bright spot in singles play was Erwann Bouchet, who continued his strong spring campaign by improving to 6-1 with a gritty 6-4, 7-6(7) victory over Gardner-Webb's Boyd Schreiber. Bouchet fought through a tight second-set tiebreak to earn the Rams' lone point of the evening.
• On courts one and three, Nicolo Consonni and Patrik Petera were each locked at a set apiece when the match was clinched. Petera made his first appearance on court three this spring, while Consonni continued his recent stretch at the top spot. 

Singles results
 1. Nicolo Consonni (VCU) vs. Alexandre Bergeron (GARD) 4-6, 7-6(6) (Unfinished)
 2. Erwann Bouchet (VCU) def. Boyd Schreiber (GARD) 6-4, 7-6(7)
 3. Patrik Petera (VCU) vs. Kaua Cressoni (GARD) 6-7(5), 6-3 (Unfinished)
 4. Johan Van Wijk (VCU) def. Kostiantyn Mantach (VCU) 6-3, 6-3
 5. Noah Zeiger (VCU) def. Alfred Almasi (VCU) 6-2, 6-1
 
Doubles results
1. Kaua Cressoni / Boyd Schreiber (GARD) def. Erwann Bouchet / Kostiantyn Mantach (VCU) 8-6
2. Nicolo Consonni / Patrik Petera (VCU) def. Alexandre Bergeron / Johan Van Wijk 6-4
 
Order of Finish: Doubles: 2, 1  Singles: 4, 2, 5
 
Up Next: VCU will be back in action on Friday, February 20, as they take on St. John's at 11 a.m. in Queens, N.Y.