Date Posted: 3/20/2007

Macon, Ga. -- Evgeny Slesarev went a combined 5-1 this past week, helping Gardner-Webb pick up two conference wins on the road, en route to becoming the first Bulldog to be named the Atlantic Sun's Player of the Week since GWU joined the conference in 2002, league officials announced today.

A freshman from Krasnoyarsk, Russia, Slesarev posted a 3-0 record at the No. 1 singles position and is currently riding a six-match winning steak in singles action. After dropping the first set against Campbell's Gabriel Delarue, Slesarev bounced back to win the match 3-6, 6-1, 6-2. The Bulldogs lost as a team but Slesarev kept his winning streak alive as Gardner-Webb got back on the road for a weekend in Nashville, Tenn.

On Friday Slesarev won a close first set 7-6, but could not finish off Belmont's Alex Gillott. Gillott forced a third set with a 4-6 second-set victory and Slesarev took over, dominated the final set, 6-1.

Slesarev faced Lipscomb's Mike Sherman on Saturday, and in another three-set bout, he earned his third No. 1 singles win of the week, 4-6, 6-4, 10-7.

The honor is the first of its kind for Slesarev. It is also the first time a student athlete from GWU has been named the POTW since the school joined the Atlantic Sun in 2002.

The Atlantic Sun Player of the Week is announced every Tuesday during the 2007 tennis season.

The 12-member league headquartered in Macon, Ga., consists of Belmont, Campbell, ETSU, Gardner-Webb, Jacksonville, Kennesaw State, Lipscomb, Mercer, UNF and Stetson with Florida Gulf Coast and USC Upstate beginning competition in 2007-08.

Related Links:
 • A-Sun Men's Tennis