Northwestern University Athletics
Northwestern
Ball State
Wildcats Sweep Cardinals in 2010's First Dual
1/17/2010 12:00:00 AM | Men's Tennis
Jan. 17, 2010
Results
EVANSTON, Ill.-- Northwestern won its first dual of the 2010 season with a 7-0 defeat of Ball State Sunday afternoon at Combe Tennis Center. Junior Andrew McCarthy (Cincinnati, Ohio/Indian Hill) clinched it for the 'Cats with a straight set win at No. 2 singles over the Cardinals' Cliff Morrison. But the day isn't over yet for the Wildcats, as they are set to host Illinois-Chicago at 7 p.m. for the second match of their doubleheader.
The `Cats continued their strong doubles play from 2009, winning all three matches en route to a 1-0 lead in the dual.
Freshmen Wildcats Sidarth Balaji (Fairfax, Va./Fairfax) and Spencer Wolf (Coral Springs, Fla./Laurel Springs) made quick work of their first collegiate doubles opponents, dispatching Ball State's Derek Carpenter and Alex Doherty at No. 3 doubles. The `Cats reeled off seven points in a row before being broken while serving for the match, but they broke back immediately to notch the 7-1 victory.
NU duo Andrew McCarthy and Tobias Reitz faced BSU's Eduardo Pavia and Dalton Albertin in a hotly-contested match at No. 1 doubles. Early in the match, points were hotly contested by both teams managed to hold. Serving at 3-all, the `Cats saved two break points on Reitz's serve before winning the point with an ace and then reeling off four of the next six points for the 8-5 victory.
At No. 2 doubles, Alex Sanborn (Houston, Texas/Kinkaid) and Joshua Graves (Milwaukee, Wis./Nicolet) defeated Andres Monroy and Zane Smith, 8-6.
The 'Cats' second point of the dual came thanks to Spencer Wolf at No. 6 singles. The freshman made quick work of his Cardinal opponent Shaun Bussert in a 35-minute match, winning by a 6-1, 6-0 score. Wolf took control during rallies, running his opponent around the court seemingly at will.
Fellow freshman Balaji gave the 'Cats their third point of the dual with a 6-4, 6-3 victory at No. 5 over Dalton Albertin. The players traded breaks in the first set, but the freshman Wildcat took control early in the second and served out the match.
Playing at No. 2 for the first time in his Northwestern career, junior McCarthy clinched the dual for the `Cats with a victory over Cliff Morrison. The first set was close throughout, with the players exchanging breaks twice as Morrison broke McCarthy to force a first set breaker. The breaker seesawed until McCarthy got a mini-break at 6-all and then close the set with a service winner.
In the second set, the momentum was all on McCarthy's side as he reeled off six points in quick fashion for the 7-6(6), 6-0 victory.
Sophomore Eric Spector (Northbrook, Ill./Glenbrook North) continued the 'Cats' streak, defeating Cardinal Alexandre Brym at No. 3 singles. Spector jumped to an early lead, taking the first set 6-3 with a service winner but Brym rebounded to take the second by the same score. The third set started off close, but the Wildcat pulled away and sealed the match with an ace down the T.
The most riveting match of the day came at No. 1, where sophomore Graves took on the Cards' Pavia. The first set was extremely close, with both players struggling to hold serve, but Pavia broke to go up 5-6 and held on for the set.
The players exchanged breaks to start the second set before a streak of holds. Momentum shifted to the NU side and Graves pulled away with a 6-3 win to force a match tiebreak. In the breaker, Pavia was up 6-3 before the Wildcat sophomore came back with a vengeance and won the next seven to take it, 10-6.
The last match on the court was between Sanborn and Andres Monroy, the same matchup as last season's dual, and the result was the same with a victory for the Wildcat. The players exchanged sets and despite a Monroy medical timeout to start the third, Sanborn emerged with the 6-3, 4-6, 6-3 win.
Northwestern 7, Ball State 0
Singles:
1. Joshua Graves (NU) def. Eduardo Pavia (BSU) 5-7, 6-3, 1-0 (10-6)
2. Andrew McCarthy (NU) def. Cliff Morrison (BSU) 7-6 (8-6), 6-0
3. Eric Spector (NU) def. Alexandre Brym (BSU) 6-3, 3-6, 6-3
4. Alex Sanborn (NU) def. Andres Monroy (BSU) 6-3, 4-6, 6-3
5. Sidarth Balaji (NU) def. Dalton Albertin (BSU) 6-4, 6-3
6. Spencer Wolf (NU) def. Shaun Bussert (BSU) 6-1, 6-0
Doubles:
1. Andrew McCarthy/Tobias Reitz (NU) def. Dalton Albertin/Eduardo Pavia (BSU) 8-5
2. Alex Sanborn/Joshua Graves (NU) def. Zane Smith/Andres Monroy (BSU) 8-6
3. Spencer Wolf/Sidarth Balaji (NU) def. Derek Carpenter/Alex Doherty (BSU) 8-1
Order of finish: Doubles (3,1,2); Singles (6,5,2,3,1,4)
