Spring Break
TENNIS: Judges fall short in quarterfinals at UAAs
by Mike Prada
Editor in Chief
Sports | 5/1/07
Posted online at 10:13 PM EST on 4/30/07
/ Last updated at 12:35 PM EST on 4/30/07
With a 2-1 lead in the third set of his singles match Friday against the University of Chicago at the University Athletic Association championships, Mike Vulfovich '07 reached deuce on rookie Garret Brinker's serve and needed a victory to take control of the match.
Instead, two calls that went against Vulfovich led him to drop five of the last six games in a 6-3, 4-6, 6-3 loss.
"[The calls] completely broke my rhythm," Vulfovich said. "I got a point penalty for arguing with the line judge, and [Brinker] got all the momentum."
Vulfovich's third set was indicative of the men's tennis team's entire quarterfinal match against Chicago at the UAAs. After taking a 2-1 lead following doubles competition, the fifth-seeded Judges fell behind in singles and lost 5-4 to the fourth-seeded Maroons. The team rallied to win Saturday against the University of Rochester 6-1 and New York University 5-4 to finish fifth at the tournament. The Judges ended the season with an 11-8 record.
The women's team finished its season 9-9 after losing to Connecticut College 8-1 Wednesday.
After working hard all season to reach a No. 5 seed and being so close to making the second round of the tournament, the men's team's loss to Chicago was a particularly tough pill for the squad to swallow.
"[The loss] stunk, that's for sure," coach Ben Lamanna said. "Before the season, our goal was to get the five seed and play Chicago in the first round, and everything was working out perfectly. It makes you wonder what went wrong, but it's not like we held anything back."
Spurred by a 9-8 (4) victory by the No. 2 doubles team of Adam Sher '07 and Jordan Bieber '07, the men's team seemed to be in terrific position against Chicago, having not lost a single match this season when leading after doubles play.
The Judges lost the first three singles matches and found themselves in a 4-2 hole. Sher and Cliff Silverman '07 each lost in straight sets at No. 3 and No. 5 singles before Vulfovich's loss. Sam Jonas' '07 7-5, 6-3 victory over senior Vivek Venkataraman at No. 1 singles cut the deficit to 4-3, and Bieber came back from one set down to defeat junior Joseph Tchan 6-7 (1), 6-4, 6-3.
Instead, two calls that went against Vulfovich led him to drop five of the last six games in a 6-3, 4-6, 6-3 loss.
"[The calls] completely broke my rhythm," Vulfovich said. "I got a point penalty for arguing with the line judge, and [Brinker] got all the momentum."
Vulfovich's third set was indicative of the men's tennis team's entire quarterfinal match against Chicago at the UAAs. After taking a 2-1 lead following doubles competition, the fifth-seeded Judges fell behind in singles and lost 5-4 to the fourth-seeded Maroons. The team rallied to win Saturday against the University of Rochester 6-1 and New York University 5-4 to finish fifth at the tournament. The Judges ended the season with an 11-8 record.
The women's team finished its season 9-9 after losing to Connecticut College 8-1 Wednesday.
After working hard all season to reach a No. 5 seed and being so close to making the second round of the tournament, the men's team's loss to Chicago was a particularly tough pill for the squad to swallow.
"[The loss] stunk, that's for sure," coach Ben Lamanna said. "Before the season, our goal was to get the five seed and play Chicago in the first round, and everything was working out perfectly. It makes you wonder what went wrong, but it's not like we held anything back."
Spurred by a 9-8 (4) victory by the No. 2 doubles team of Adam Sher '07 and Jordan Bieber '07, the men's team seemed to be in terrific position against Chicago, having not lost a single match this season when leading after doubles play.
The Judges lost the first three singles matches and found themselves in a 4-2 hole. Sher and Cliff Silverman '07 each lost in straight sets at No. 3 and No. 5 singles before Vulfovich's loss. Sam Jonas' '07 7-5, 6-3 victory over senior Vivek Venkataraman at No. 1 singles cut the deficit to 4-3, and Bieber came back from one set down to defeat junior Joseph Tchan 6-7 (1), 6-4, 6-3.
Be the first to comment on this story