Jan. 19, 2008

Final Stats

RICHMOND, Va. -- The Navy tennis team concluded the first day of its 2008 spring season with a 1-1 record after posting a 3-1 victory over Campbell and dropping a 3-0 decision to 49th-ranked East Tennessee State Saturday at the VCU 4+1 Invitational in Richmond, Va.

In the Campbell match, Nate Nelms (Jr., St. Mary's, Ga.) recorded a straight set victory at No. 1 singles for Navy, posting a 7-6 (7-3), 6-3 win over Davy Sun. Owen Bullard (Fr., Concord, N.C.) stepped into the No. 4 spot in the lineup for the Mids and rallied after dropping the opening set to tally a 2-6, 6-4, 6-4 win over Loukas Wallaart. Navy's additional victory came in the lone contested doubles match as the duo of Nick Birger (Fr., Belleville, Ill.) and team captain Alex James (Sr., Visalia, Calif.) posted a 3-6, 7-5, 6-3 triumph over the team of Marc Sifre and Sebastian Thesleff.

"I was very pleased with how our first match of the day went," said Navy head coach John Officer. "We fought hard in every match and we handled adversity well. When the scores became tight we managed the pressure of the situation very well. Individually, Owen won a great three-set match for us."

The Mids then played a number of close singles matches against the nationally ranked and defending Atlantic Sun Conference champion Buccaneers. Nelms dropped a 7-5, 6-2 decision to 49th-ranked Enrique Olivares at No. 1 singles and Johnny Waters (Jr., Papillion, Neb.) lost a 6-3, 6-4 decision to Sebastian Serrano at No. 2 singles. The two singles matches that were left unfinished due to ETSU clinching the match with its doubles victory saw Predrag Burmazovic holding a 6-3, 5-6 lead over Hill and Oscar Posada leading Navy's Joe Wiggins (Fr., Acworth, Ga.) 6-4, 6-5.

"Joe did a very nice job for us by coming in and playing number four singles," said Officer. "He played a very competitive match, as did Jason at number three."

Navy will return home this coming weekend to play its first official matches in the newly-opened Brigade Sports Complex Saturday at 12 Noon against Georgetown and at 5 p.m. against Mount St. Mary's.

Navy (1-0) def. Campbell (1-1), 3-1
Singles
1 - Nate Nelms (N) def. Davy Sum, 7-6 (3), 6-3
2 - Gabriel Delarue (C) def. Johnny Waters, 7-6, 7-5
3 - Jason Hill (N) led Larbi Lamzouri, 6-4, 3-6, 3-0, DNF
4 - Owen Bullard (N) def. Loukas Wallaart, 2-6, 6-4, 6-4
Doubles
1 - Nick Birger / Alex James (N) def. Marc Sifre / Sebastian Thesleff, 3-6, 7-5, 6-3

#49 East Tennessee State (2-0) def. Navy (1-1), 3-0
Singles
1 - #49 Enrique Olivares (ET) def. Nate Nelms, 7-5, 6-2
2 - Sebastian Serrano (ET) def. Johnny Waters, 6-3, 6-4
3 - Predrag Burmazovic (ET) led Jason Hill, 6-3, 5-6, DNF
4 - Oscar Posada (ET) led Joe Wiggins, 6-4, 6-5, DNF
Doubles
1 - Daniel Isaza / Lisandro Picardo (ET) def. Alex James / Jarrad Smoke, 6-2, 6-0