REGIONAL PLAYERS OF THE WEEK: MARCH 17TH-MARCH 23rd
Here we are again with another set of regional players of the week. Let’s remember that the week ends on a Sunday (after all it is the Lord’s day), so only matches through March 23rd are taken into account. Also, as some of our readers have been voicing their concerns over the anonymity of the blog, I have decided to add a personal question to the end of each section. This week, favorite sports movie. If you have an idea of a specific personal question, please feel free to tweet at @d3_west, as he lives for that kind of stuff. Without further ado, your players of the week…
A-SOUTH
Player: Erik Lim
Team: Johns Hopkins
Results: 2-0 at #6 singles, 2-0 at #2 doubles against ranked teams
Recap: I’ve always been a big proponent of Erik Lim and his seemingly never-ending motor on the court and this weekend was another example of how this kid comes through in the clutch. Lim always seems to be in the thick of the big matches and at this point, he’s expected to win. Lim notched two fairly easy victories against Bates at his normal spots of #2 doubles and #6 singles. His most impressive feat of the weekend was pulling out a fairly tight #2 doubles match against Carnegie Mellon while also notching the clincher against CMU at #6 singles against the very tough freshman Wadwani.
What’s next: Hopkins plays a lot of meaningless matches until they face off against Emory on April 5th, at Emory.
Honorary Mention: Christian Heaney-Secord, CMU
Favorite sports movie: Searching for Bobby Fischer (Chess is a sport in my book)
CENTRAL
Player: Noah Sprinkel
Team: Coe
Results: 3-0 at 1 singles and 3-0 at 1 doubles
Recap: Sprinkel took out Mya Smith Dennis in singles which will put him in the top 8 when rankings are released for the region. This win is huge for him as he doesn’t have a ton of chances to keep a nationals berth alive. He is undefeated in D3 play this season and should repeat in getting to nationals again this year. Coe relies on him heavily and he and partner Riley Glabraith were able to take down GAC at 1 doubles as well for the only two points Coe got against the Gusties. He is the type of player that doesn’t beat himself and it takes someone who can hit winners to beat him.
What’s next: He has a tough road ahead with Kries from Wheaton this week and then Kranz, Krimball, and Putterman all in one weekend in a couple of weeks. In order to stay in the top 8, I think he has to beat one out of the 4. His season will end with a match-up against Humphreys.
Honorary Mention: Jackson O’Gorman Bean (Denison), Sam Geier (Kenyon)
Favorite sports movie: It’s a tie between Rudy and Mighty Ducks 2 (All I have to say is Julie “the cat” Gaffney)
NE
Player: Justin Reindel
Team: Amherst
Results: 5-1 at #’s 3-6 singles, 4-0 (vs DIII opponents) at #1 doubles
Recap: To me, Reindell was the biggest surprise of Amherst’s week. He teamed with Fritz to take down the #1 teams from Pomona, Whittier, CMS, and Redlands. In singles, he played 4 different spots thanks to the ever changing Amherst lineup. Although he did fall to Maassen at #4, he took down Redlands at #3 and beat the reigning Western Regional player of the week, Zhenya Pereverzin. This was the clincher for me. While everyone listed below did have a great week, handing Pereverzin his first loss of the season was very impressive, especially in the way that he won (a quick 2&1).
What’s next: The Jeffs can take a deep breath as their spring break from hell is finally over. They next play on Saturday the 29th when they travel to Tufts.
Honorary Mention: Joey Fritz (Amherst), Brad Wong (Tufts), Carl Reid (Colby)
Favorite sports movie: Remember the Titans
WEST
Player: Steven Roston
Team: Whitman
Results: 3-0 in singles (1-2 in doubles) at #3 and 4 singles and #3 doubles
Blurb: OK, in reality, this should be Warren Wood because he routined Fritz and Konstantinov, but I’m trying to get off the CMS train for a week. Roston has been absolutely killing it for Whitman. The senior is undefeated in singles play this year with wins over Redlands, Pomona, and Whittier this week to add to his wins over CMS and Trinity from SBWW. Against Whittier, he saved his team by coming back from down a set and a break to eventually clinch it in 3-sets in his first big match of the season at #3 singles. Roston backed it up the next day with a dominant win at against Redlands.
What’s next: Absolutely nothing. The conference tournament in late April followed by nationals
Honorary Mention: Jonathan Kim (P-P), David Konstantinov (Whittier), Warren Wood (CMS)
Favorite sports movie: Remember the Titans (I’m not gonna pretend I have a different favorite move because he likes it too)
Speaking of players of week or even year is pretty open for debate for Instance after some research I think there is number 6 from RPI named Kim who hasn’t lost a singles match this season going 10-0 with wins against MIT, Stevens, New Jersey Tech, Babson, Whittier and Skidmore to name the better wins. He may be one of the best number 6 guys in D3. I would love to see more than 1’s or 2’s how someone like this compares to rest of best at some of the lower positions which are just as important as top 3
I picked a #3 last week and a #6 the week before. D3AS picked a #5 the week before last. Mr. Kim’s performance certainly would have earned him a mention if two of those wins had come in the same week. He is a victim of timing
What gives any of the admins on this site the prerogative to criticize any players? Are you all former All-Americans? Indiv. National Champs? Or am I selling you all too short and you’re all former ATP players or something? Wimbledon champs? Are you Roger Federer?
I respect that you’re entitled to your opinions, but y’all need to chill sometimes. Your critiques of certain players just seem flat-out unwarranted sometimes and it’s just not cool to be so critical (and to make assumptions) of players who are trying their best. I don’t think you would appreciate it if someone did the same to you, looked up some scores, and came to the conclusion that you simply should not play a certain position, qualify for nationals, or think of yourself so highly.
So who are you all really? Cause unless you are any of the above (which quite frankly I highly doubt), I really don’t think you should be so critical. I would love for you to prove me wrong.
Someone is upset they got smack talked by the opinion based blog….the whole point of the blog is to report results, speculate about who the best players at each position are, and predict who will win each ranked team match. People are bound to get upset if they feel an opinion is not accurate. That’s why the top of the blog says “let the rackets do the talking”! I would assume that 99% of the top players are always trying their best in matches so why not be critical of their performances, that’s how you compare people.
D3AS and D3Central: You guys have to add Robert Homan from Haverford for next weeks POW. The guy clinched an EIGHT HOUR match against KZoo at 6 singles 7-6 in the third after being down match points. This was of course just days after blasting the site. Check out the boxscore for that match. Absolutely nuts.
I will give Haverford some credit for the win with special notation to the fact they won all 3 three-set matches. I will admit that I missed the result, but really only because it happened just yesterday. Homan didn’t make himself many friends by voicing his displeasure, but this site is opinion based and other opinions are welcomed and even encouraged. He isn’t in my region to get a POW mention, but I would say it is more likely his teammate Dougherty will get mentioned because he also had a crucial doubles win.
I can certainly take this into account. However, with Emory playing 3 matches this weekend, W&L and CMU playing, amongst other teams, I seriously doubt a win at #6 against Kalamazoo (although 8 hours is impressive if that’s real, which I doubt) is going to get him POW. And yes, he bashed the site too. Maybe I’ll make him POW because of that because I like his spunk.
Not totally related to any of the above comments, but thank you very much for covering D3 tennis in such depth and breadth! I’m a huge fan and just wondering who you guys are? Do you have some kind of bio page on the site? I’m just curious about how you guys cover so many results and seem to know many of the players’ styles of play, strengths, weaknesses, etc. Do you make an effort to watch some of the matches in person? Are you former players? Current players? Mind if I ask your names? Thanks!
hahahahaha
A specter is haunting SCIACs — the specter of Josh Dancu. In the West region, where top players and nationally ranked teams are waiting like ripe melons, it must be easy to consign the less powerful teams to the figurative outbox of the tennis dialogue. The oft-overlooked Occidental Tigers are a young team enduring a difficult schedule. Team wins have not been plentiful, competition within the league is stiff. “Player of the Week” is a title not easily earned.
In the midst of this, like a phoenix from the ashes, #1 singles/doubles Josh Dancu (junior) goes 4-0 in singles and 2-2 in doubles on the week, not relinquishing a set in singles play. Beating #15 Redlands’ Nick Cummins 7-5 6-3 was the closest scoreline any of his singles wins, which also included a win over another nationally ranked team’s #1 singles (Denison), and demolitions of the top players at Tufts and Lewis & Clark.
You said you were going to get off CMS for a while, but that shouldn’t mean you only turn your focus to the other teams in the hunt for nationals. Dancu has played increasingly powerful and mentally consistent tennis that makes him a threat to any player he faces, even in the tough-as-nails West region.
Agreed. Also, how on earth is Konstantinov even mentioned under honorable mention? Guy got blown out 2,1 by Wood and 2,2 by Fritz last week. Nice win over Whitman, but you can’t overlook the fact that he suffered two blowout losses.
I like this comment a lot. Look at my state of the west address later today for a little Dancu love (though it might not be as much as you were hoping for). Let it be known that I wrote most of that article on Friday and was aware of Dancu’s colorful prose-inspiring play
You might check the Spring record of the #5 player from Denison. He went 7-1 on the spring trip with wins over #5 players from Bowdoin (Wolstencroft 2&2), Tufts (Blau 1&3), Trinity Conn (Traff 2&3). His only loss in dubs came when his usual partner (La Duca)
was injured.
Eariler in the spring, against Chicago, he had a win at #6 over Szabo who is now playing #3 for the Maroon.
Just thought you might like to know
I am not sure what you are wanting. He is listed as honorable mention for a reason. He has been doing very well. Not too many lower lineup players get recognized, so to even get noticed is a big deal. The kid is one of the most talented members of the Denison team, but struggled to win last season in big matches (see Earlham). The bigger question with Denison is why on earth is Rajupet not playing 6?
I would like to see you play with a messed up ankle. Don’t worry, I will be healthy soon and then we will see you anonymous person.
Making excuses and getting mad at an anonymous commenter is generally not a good idea. If anything, a “my ankle is a bit messed up” would suffice
k. You know best.