Jan. 25, 2004
NOTRE DAME, Ind. – The 49th-ranked University of Notre Dame men’s tennis team (3-1, 1-0 BIG EAST) completed a doubleheader sweep with a 6-1 victory over Illinois State Sunday afternoon in the Eck Tennis Pavilion. The Irish, who beat St. John’s 6-0 in a morning match, won all six singles contests and then played six different players in doubles, in which the Redbirds (2-1) won two of three matches. Notre Dame completes a stretch of four home matches in five days on Tuesday against #10 Kentucky in a 4 p.m. (EST) match in the Eck Tennis Pavilion.
Playing singles first, Notre Dame completed a perfect 12-0 day of singles play. Sophomore Eric Langenkamp (Scarsdale, N.Y./Scarsdale H.S.) was first off the court, with a 6-0, 6-1 victory at No. 5 over Alban Renard. On the day, Langenkamp dropped just five games in four matches. He is 13-2 on the season, including 4-0 this spring.
Senior tri-captain Luis Haddock (Caguas, P.R./Notre Dame H.S.) was next off the court, with a 6-3, 6-1 win over Ben Cappuccitti at No. 1. Classmate and fellow tri-captain Matthew Scott (Oakton, Va./International School of Paris), ranked 68th nationally, put the Irish within a point of victory with a 6-3, 6-1 decision over Benjamin Pettinari at No. 2. Scott is 13-5 this season.
Freshman Barry King (Dublin, Ireland/Gonzaga College) clinched the second Irish triumph of the day with a 3-6, 6-2, 6-1 win over Nogrobat at No. 4.
After the outcome was determined, sophomore Patrick Buchanan (Fullerton, Calif./Servite H.S.) won in his first dual match of the season, a 5-7, 6-3, 6-1 victory over Alfredo Lagarda at No. 6. Buchanan is 8-3 this season.
Freshman Stephen Bass (Bronxville, N.Y./Iona Preparatory School) completed the Notre Dame sweep of the singles matches by beating Djordje Uskokovic 3-6, 6-3, 6-1 at No. 3. He is 10-2 on the season and 4-0 this spring, including a trio of three-set victories. He is 5-0 as a collegiate player in three-set matches. Bass moved up to No. 3 in place of junior tri-captain Brent D’Amico (Castle Rock, Colo./St. Stephen’s Episcopal School), who was resting a sore arm.
Two Irish players made their dual-match debuts in the doubles portion of the match, while another played doubles in a dual match for the first time. Cappuccitti and Tim Link finished first, beating juniors Jimmy Bass (Bronxville, N.Y./Iona Preparatory School) and Nick Chimerakis (North Palm Beach, Fla./The Benjamin School) 8-3 at No. 3. It was Chimerakis’ first-ever dual-match appearance and Bass’ first time playing doubles in a dual match. The Irish struck back with an 8-3 win at No. 1 by senior Paul Hidaka (Tokyo, Japan/St. Mary’s International School) and freshman Ryan Keckley (South Bend, Ind./St. Joseph’s H.S.). It was the first career win for Hidaka in a dual match and improved Keckley’s record this season to 10-4.
In the decisive doubles match, Renard and Guillermo Gomez edged senior Ben Hatten (Potomac, Md./Winston Churchill H.S.) and freshman Bobby McNally (Miami, Fla./Gulliver Preparatory School), making his dual-match debut, 8-6 at No. 2, avoiding the shutout.
#49 Notre Dame 6, Illinois State 1
Singles
No. 1: Luis Haddock (ND) d. Ben Cappuccitti (ISU) 6-3, 6-1
No. 2: #68 Matthew Scott (ND) d. Benjamin Pettinari (ISU) 6-3, 6-1
No. 3: Stephen Bass (ND) d. Djordje Uskokovic (ISU) 3-6, 6-3, 6-1
No. 4: Barry King (ND) d. Nogrobat (ISU) 3-6, 6-2, 6-1
No. 5: Eric Langenkamp (ND) d. Alban Renard (ISU) 6-0, 6-1
No. 6: Patrick Buchanan (ND) d. Alfredo Lagarda (ISU) 5-7, 6-3, 6-1
Order of Finish: 5, 1, 2, 4*, 6, 3
Doubles
No. 1: Paul Hidaka/Ryan Keckley (ND) d. Chris Cozad/Pettinari (ISU) 8-3
No. 2: Guillermo Gomez/Renard (ISU) d. Ben Hatten/Bobby McNally (ND) 8-6
No. 3: Cappuccitti/Tim Link (ISU) d. Jimmy Bass/Nick Chimerakis (ND) 8-3
Order of Finish: 3, 1, 2*
* denotes clinching match