Jan. 18, 2009

Final Stats

RICHMOND, Va. -- The Navy tennis team successfully began its 2009 season Saturday by winning a pair of matches at the VCU 4+1 Invitational in Richmond, Va. After recording a 3-2 win over Campbell, the Mids completed the doubleheader sweep with a 3-1 win over Temple.

"We are very pleased with the results from today," said Navy head coach John Officer. "We beat two very talented teams. I think the difference in our winning the matches was that we were a little more competitive on point-to-point basis. We fought hard and had great team spirit."

The outcome of the Navy-Campbell match would not be decided until the last contest between the teams was completed. Navy took an early 1-0 lead when Jason Hill (Sr., Marietta, Ga.) won a 6-1, 6-4 decision over Loukas Wallaart at No. 4 singles. The Camels then evened the match at one win apiece when Davy Sum posted a 6-3, 6-4 win over Nate Nelms (Sr., St. Mary's, Ga.) at No. 1 singles.

Next to finish was the lone doubles match contested between the teams, a 7-5, 7-5 win for the Navy duo of Owen Bullard (So., Concord, N.C.) and Ramsey Lemaich (Jr., Danville, Calif.) over Campbell's Jeroen Kuppens and Ian Kahler. The overall match would again be tied when Lubos Sobotka won a 1-6, 6-0, 6-4 contest over Johnny Waters (Sr., Papillion, Neb.) at No 3 singles. The Mids then won the overall match when Marcus Rebersak (Fr., Belmar, N.J.) rallied from a one-set deficit to defeat Larbu Lamzouri 6-4, 3-6, 6-0 at No. 2 singles.

As in its match against Campbell, Navy again took a key 1-0 lead over Temple when Nick Birger (So., Belleville, Ill.) and Zach Nicholson (Fr., Bowie, Md.) combined to record a 7-6 (7-5), 6-2 win over Ricardo Velasquez and Eduardo Saavedra at No. 1 doubles. The Navy advantage over Temple would soon improve to 2-0 when Bullard won a 7-5, 1-6, 6-4 match over Mansur Gishkaev at No. 4 singles. Nelms then clinched the overall victory for the Mids when he won a long 7-5, 6-3 decision over Dmitry Vizhunov at No. 1 singles.

Temple picked up its lone point of the dual when Nathan Spunda won a 6-3, 4-6, 6-5 (7-5) win over Hill at No. 3 singles (with the overall match already decided, when Hill and Spunda were tied at 5-5 in the third set they immediately went to a tiebreaker to determine the outcome). The last match between the teams featured Rebersak taking on Filip Rams at No. 2 singles. Rebersak won the first set in a tiebreaker (10-8), but dropped the second set by the score of 7-5. Rams led Rebersak 3-0 in the third set when the outcome of the match between the teams was decided, so their match was left uncompleted.

"We received a big boost from our doubles team," said Officer of the effort by Birger and Nicholson in their match against Temple. "Nate came back after being down a break of serve in the first set and, though the match was not finished, Marcus had a great match going against Rams. Marcus also had a great third set in his first match of the day."

"Both Campell and Temple are going to challenge for their respective league titles this spring, so we feel very good with the outcome of our opening matches. We now have a big match coming up Saturday against Georgetown. We have split with them the last two years in a pair of great matches. It will be exciting tennis and are looking for a great crowd to help us out."

The Mids play host to the Hoyas Saturday at 12 Noon before taking on St. Francis (N.Y.) at 5 p.m. Both matches will be played indoors at the Tose Family Tennis Center.

Navy def. Campbell, 3-2
Doubles
1 - Owen Bullard / Ramsey Lemaich (N) def. Jeroen Kuppens / Ian Kahler, 7-5, 7-5
Singles
1 - Davy Sum (C) def. Nate Nelms, 6-3, 6-4
2 - Marcus Rebersak (N) def. Larbi Lamzouri, 6-4, 3-6, 6-0
3 - Lubos Sobotka (C) def. Johnny Waters, 1-6, 6-0, 6-4
4 - Jason Hill (N) def. Loukas Wallaart, 6-1, 6-4
Match Finish Order: S4-S1-D1-S3-S2

Navy def. Temple, 3-1
Doubles
1 - Nick Birger / Zach Nicholson (N) def. Ricardo Velasquez / Eduardo Saavedra, 7-6 (7-5), 6-2
Singles
1 - Nate Nelms (N) def. Dmitry Vizhunov, 7-5, 6-3
2 - Filip Rams (T) led Marcus Rebersak, 6-7 (10-8), 7-5, 3-1, unfinished
3 - Nathan Spunda (T) def. Jason Hill, 6-3, 4-6, 6-5 (7-5)
4 - Owen Bullard (N) def. Mansur Gishkaev, 7-5, 1-6, 6-4
Match Finish Order: D1-S4-S1-S3