Wake Forest Athletics
Wake Forest University
Brown
Men's Tennis Wins First-Ever NCAA Match
5/10/2003 12:00:00 AM | Men's Tennis
May 10, 2003
DURHAM, N.C. - The 28th-ranked Wake Forest men's tennis team earned its first-ever NCAA Tournament victory Saturday afternoon with a 4-3 first round victory over No. 46 Brown at Duke University's Ambler Stadium. The Demon Deacons captured the doubles point and then split the six singles matches with the Bears to survive with a 4-3 win and avenge their 4-3 loss at Brown on Feb. 22. David Loewenthal led Wake Forest with wins at both singles and doubles. The Demon Deacons advance to the second round for the first time in four tries, where they will play ninth-ranked and eighth-seeded Duke tomorrow at 1:30 in the Regional Championship.
"We have talked a lot this past week about out-teaming others," said Wake Forest head coach Jeff Zinn. "Tennis is usually viewed as such an individual sport and the teamwork and camaraderie that our guys have is what sets them apart from most of our opponents. So many of our guys contribute something different every match. Today we had three win who lost the last time we played Brown. David Loewenthal really had a huge day today. He has kind of struggled this year with getting hurt and everything and while he is still one of the best in nation, he is his own worst critic and when he gets his confidence going like he did today he is dangerous."
Loewenthal and doubles partner Andrew Simpson defeated Brown's Zack Pasanen & Kris Goddard 8-5 at No. 3 doubles and then Wake Forest's Mike Murray and Trent Brendon teamed up to stop Adil Shamasdin & Nick Goldberg 8-4 at No. 2 doubles to secure the doubles point for the Demon Deacons.
David Bere made quick work of Shamasdin at No. 3 singles, winning in straight sets and giving Wake Forest a 2-0 lead. Brett Ross, who lost to Brown's Ben Briar in the last meeting, got his revenge by winning in straight sets and put the Demon Deacons up 3-0. The Bears rallied with three straight wins at Nos. 2, 4 and 6, leaving the score knotted at three each.
Loewenthal was heading into his third set with Brown's Jamie Cerretani and with some monstrous serves jumped out to an early 4-0 lead. Cerretani, would not go quietly and pulled to within one, but Loewenthal finished him off, winning 6-3, 4-6, 6-4 and giving Wake Forest its first-ever NCAA Tournament victory.
"I just wanted to stay out there to live another day," said Loewenthal, a junior from Franklin Lakes, N.J. "All I was thinking about was winning for our four seniors. They have taken us to where we are today. Brown is a really good team. Those guys fought all the way to the end. That doubles point was big, since we lost that to them last time and it came down to that again."
Wake Forest improves to 14-8 with the win and Brown ends its season 18-4. The Demon Deacons advance to the second round and will play No. 9 Duke at 1:30 tomorrow in Duke's Ambler Stadium.
This will be the third meeting between Wake Forest and Duke this season. The Blue Devils won 4-3 in Durham on Mar. 26 and won 4-0 in the ACC semifinals Apr. 19. The Demon Deacons are 8-33 all-time against Duke and have not beaten them since 1981. The winner advances to the Round of 16 at the University of Georgia in Athens, Ga., May 17-25. Live stats from tomorrow's match will be available to follow over the internet at goduke.com.
#28 Wake Forest 4, #46 Brown 3
DOUBLES
1. Derrick Spice & Brett Ross (WF) vs. Jamie Cerretani & Chris Drake, DNF
2. Mike Murray & Trent Brendon (WF) def. Adil Shamasdin & Nick Goldberg, 8-4
3. David Loewenthal & Andrew Simpson (WF) def. Zack Pasanen & Kris Goddard, 8-5
SINGLES
1. #56 David Loewenthal (WF) def. Jamie Cerretani, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4
2. Chris Drake (B) def. Derrick Spice, 6-4, 6-4
3. David Bere (WF) def. Adil Shamasdin, 6-2, 6-1
4. Zack Pasanen (B) def. Trent Brendon, 6-4, 7-6 (6)
5. Nick Goldberg (B) def. Mike Murray, 6-4, 6-1
6. Brett Ross (WF) def. Ben Brier, 6-1, 6-4
Order of finish: 3, 6, 2, 5, 4, 1
Players Mentioned
