Northwestern University Athletics
Northwestern
Big Ten Singles Championships
Two 'Cats Find Way to Day 2
11/16/2003 12:00:00 AM | Men's Tennis
Nov. 15, 2003
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Two Wildcats went unscathed on Day 1 to advance to the Round of 16 in the Big Ten Singles Championship hosted by Michigan.
In the first round, Christian Tempke (Wentorf, Germany/Gymnasium Lohbrugge), battling illness, beat Ohio State's Ben Kirksey 5-7, 6-4, 6-2, while No. 3 seed Tommy Hanus (Palatine, Ill./Palatine) took down Wisconsin's Ward Bortz 4-6, 6-4, 7-6. Tempke then pulled a 3-6, 6-3, 6-2 upset of Penn State's eighth-seeded Mark Barry in the second round while Hanus nipped Michigan's Steve Peretz 7-6, 7-6.
"Tempke and Hanus gutted it out today," said head coach Paul Torricelli. "Both struggled a bit but still competed extremely well, and that was the difference."
Several Wildcats won their first round match but lost their second, such as Adam Schaechterle (Oconomowoc, Wis./Kettle Moraine), who survived Michigan State's Eric Simonton 3-6, 6-3, 7-5 but was then beaten by Michigan's No. 1 seed Michael Rubin 6-0, 6-1.
Also, Chuck Perrin (Atlanta, Ga./The Walker School) topped Wisconsin's Jordan Raemisch 7-6, 6-1 but then lost lost to Penn State's Roddy Canty 6-0, 7-5; Ahmed Wahla (Lahore, Pakistan/Lahore American School), who was switched from the 7-9 draw to the main draw, beat Indiana's Tom Bagnato 5-7, 6-3, 6-4 before losing to Minnesota's No. 9-16 seed Clay Estes 6-4, 6-3.
Only two Wildcats lost their first round match, as Jamie Friedland (Glen Cove, N.Y./St. Stephen's) was knocked off by Michigan State's No. 2 seed Andy Formanczyk 6-2, 4-6, 7-5, and Matt Christian (Troy, Mich./Brother Rice) dropped a 7-6, 6-4 decision to Ohio State's sixth-seeded Dennis Merten.
In the 7-9 draw, Willy Lock (Lima, Peru/Markham College), who had a first round bye, made swift work of Michigan's Josef Fischer in a 6-1, 6-2 win to advance to the semifinals. The other NU player in that draw, Justin Hoeveler (Ross, Calif./The Branson School), was not as fortunate, losing his match against Purdue's Scott Warner.
The tournament continues tomorrow with the Round of 16 and the quarterfinals, as well consolation play.
