The Justice

Simon Miller '11 serves in the Judges' win over Bentley College. Photo by David Sheppard-Brick/the Justice

A mere unfriendly bounce off the net chord prevented the men's tennis team's top two singles players, Simon Miller '11 and Stephen Nieman '11, from winning every game in their first-ever collegiate singles matches Wednesday.

Midway through the second set of Miller's No. 1 singles match against Bentley College junior Michael Dolan, a lucky bounce off the net tape fell on Miller's side, giving Dolan a 40-30 lead in a game that he eventually won to give Miller his only blemish in a 6-0, 6-1 victory.

Nieman didn't experience a similar blip on his radar at No. 2 singles, sweeping senior Celestino Sepulveda 6-0 6-0. Both players made an early statement in their careers with the blowout victories in the Judges' 9-0 rout of Bentley College at home, the squad's first win of the season.

"A lot went well for us," coach Ben Lamanna said. "That was the most convincing match we've had against Bentley since I've been here."

Meanwhile, the women's team also defeated Bentley with a 7-2 win Tuesday, sweeping singles play after dropping two of the three doubles matches.

Miller and Nieman employed contrasting styles in their victories. Miller used power, booming big serves and devastating forehands, while Nieman used more of a finesse approach, keeping his opponent on the defensive throughout the match.

"I wasn't missing much with my forehand," Miller said. "I only hit two or three backhands the whole match. That's my strategy; always to hit as few backhands as possible; and today it worked out perfectly."

"[Sepulveda] may have been a little tired, so I had to move him side to side until I got a short ball to attack," Nieman said. "I like moving the guy back and forth and frustrating him with all different spins and heights."

Lamanna said he even felt Bentley didn't see the best Nieman could offer.

"You have to be in really good shape to beat [Nieman] in singles," Lamanna said. "It just takes a long time to beat the guy. You didn't even get to see half of what he can do out there today."

Miller and Nieman's contrasting styles served them well in doubles, as they defeated Sepulveda and senior Patrick Schorno 8-3 at No. 1 doubles.

Scott Schulman '09 and Jason Sacher '11 won 8-4 at No. 2 doubles, while Alex Neystat '10 and David Silver '11 completed the sweep with a 9-7 comeback victory at No. 3 doubles.

Continued...

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