The men’s tennis team took on Hobart College last Tuesday, March 20, in hopes of gaining their first win of the spring season. While they were able to split their singles matches, they had trouble taking any of their doubles matches, leading to a 3-6 loss and leaving them to go elsewhere to find their spring win.
“The Hobart match was good competition for us,” head coach Anna Khvalina said.
She contributed the break from playing over spring break to some of the poor performances.
“Several players came into the match after a week long layoff and travel over spring break, which proved to affect their form coming into the match,” she said.
At first singles, senior Mike Burger defeated his Hobart opponent, James Micheroni, in a close set decided in a tiebreaker, 7-6 (5), followed by a dominant second set which he won, 6-2. Freshman Brian Bowman won in two sets at the No. 2 singles position. He swept his challenger, Matt Silver, in the first set, 6-0, and worked a little harder to finish him off in the second set, 6-4.
Khvalina was extremely pleased with Bowman and Burger’s performances in the top spots, places that they are adjusting to.
“I feel that their singles games are picking up and have improved this spring,” she said.
The final point of the day came from freshman Adam Crosby, who won against Hobart’s Brandon Gillespie at fifth singles. He came from behind after losing his close opening set, 4-6.
In the second set, he came away with a narrow win, 7-5. In the tiebreaker, Crosby had no trouble earning the point, taking it easily, 10-1.
“His match was great to watch,” Khvalina said. “I hope that win will provide him with necessary confidence he can build on as the season progresses.”
Though Bowman and Burger were able to get wins on their own, they were unable to earn the point when they came together as a duo in first doubles. They were defeated, 5-8.
“In doubles they had a disappointing loss that I hope motivates them to come out stronger next time around,” Khvalina said.
The No. 2 doubles team of seniors Jason Maher and Michael Shepheard was also defeated 5-8.
“While No. 2 doubles got off to a good start, they could not hold on to win the match.” Khvalina said.
Crosby also had trouble getting double points, as he and his No. 3 doubles partner, junior Michael Kornhauser, were defeated in a blowout match, 1-8.
Maher and Shepheard were both defeated in two tough sets, Maher at third singles, 2-6, 1-6, and Shepheard at fourth singles, 3-6, 0-6.
Sophomore Tyler Socash played in the No. 6 singles position, but was unable to gain any momentum, and he was shut out, 0-6, 0-6.
The ‘Jackets pick up play again on Saturday when they take on Brandeis University at home at 7 p.m. They also take on Case Western University, another University Athletic Association competitor on Sunday at noon at home.
Khvalina still has high hopes for future matches and is looking forward to improvements to be made by the team, especially in doubles.
“We have to continue to work on improving our doubles and prepare for UAA weekend coming up,” Khvalina said.
Philbrick is a member of the class of 2009.
