Sept. 18, 2010
OLYMPIA FIELDS, Ill.– In a rain-shortened Saturday at the Olympia Fields Country Club Fighting Illini Invitational the Notre Dame men’s tennis team came away with a 6-3 singles record on the second day of the meet.
Heavy rain, thunder and lightning interrupted the normal schedule of play, leaving enough daylight to finish only one round of singles matches.
Of the six match victories by the Irish on Saturday, four kept perfect tournament records intact with seniors Tyler Davis (Father Ryan/Nashville, Tenn.) and Stephen Havens (Hill Christian/Cincinnati, Ohio), sophomore Samuel Keeton (Pembroke Hill/Kansas City, Mo.) and freshman Greg Andrews (Gull Lake/Richland, Mich.) each having undefeated singles records heading into play Sunday. Notre Dame’s four competitors with spotless singles records leads all teams in the event.
In his first collegiate tournament, Andrews played with confidence in dispatching previously unbeaten Fighting Illini sophomore Stephen Hoh, 6-4, 6-4.
Havens ran his tournament record to 2-0 with a 6-2, 6-3, straight-set victory over nationally ranked Abe Souza of Illinois. Nationally-ranked sophomore Blas Moros (Pine Crest/Boca Raton, Fla.) fought back after dropping the opening set to Illinois’ Brian Alden, 5-7, 6-2, 6-2.
The Irish went 3-0 in matches against the Alabama Crimson Tide on Saturday in singles play with victories by Davis, Keeton and junior Casey Watt (Pine-Richland/Gibsonia, Pa.).
Davis kept his perfect record intact by besting Ian Chadwell in three sets, 6-4, 6-7 (8), 6-2. In a battle of undefeated players, Keeton kept his perfect singles record intact with a three-set win against Ricky Doverspike, 3-6, 6-1, 6-2. Watt rebounded after a tough loss on Friday with a dominating two-set win over Carlos Taborga, 6-1, 6-3.
Check back with UND.com for complete results of the Olympia Fields Country Club Fighting Illini Invitational as the three-day event concludes Sunday in Olympia Fields with matches scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. (CDT)
Saturday Singles Results
#37 Casey Watt (ND) def. Carlos Taborga (BAMA), 6-1, 6-3
David Hopkins (WF) def. Matt Johnson (ND), 6-1, 6-3
#26 Dennis Nevolo (ILL) def. #69 Daniel Stahl (ND), 6-2, 6-0
Connor Roth (ILL) def. Billy Pecor (ND), 6-2, 6-3
Tyler Davis (ND) def. Ian Chadwell (BAMA), 6-4, 6-7 (8), 6-2
#112 Blas Moros (ND) def. Brian Alden (ILL), 5-7, 6-2, 6-2
Greg Andrews (ND) def. Stephen Hoh (ILL), 6-4, 6-4
Stephen Havens (ND) def. #62 Abe Souza (ILL), 6-2, 6-3
Samuel Keeton (ND) def. Ricky Doverspike (BAMA), 3-6, 6-1, 6-2
–ND–