Ovechkin was bright spot for Wagner on its trip through Western Pennsylvania. Playing No. 1 singles as a freshman, Ovechkin defeated two top players from NEC rivals Robert Morris and Saint Francis (PA). Ovechkin provided Wagner’s lone team point in a setback to Saint Francis (PA) by downing Elahn Pogue, the 2010 NEC Rookie of the Year, in straight sets, 6-4, 6-4. Robert Morris’ Ricardo Horlle was Ovechkin’s next victim. Posting another straight-set triumph, he defeated the Colonials’ No. 1 racket, 7-5, 6-1. The back-to-back straight-set No. 1 singles wins ran Ovechkin’s record to 3-0 in NEC play and allowed the freshman to make program history. He is the first-ever Seahawk to pull in the NEC Rookie of the Week award, which the league instated for the start of the 2009-10 campaign.