REGIONAL PLAYERS OF THE WEEK: 05/08-05/14
I know we usually end POTW after the regular season, but a wonderful weekend of NCAA Regionals deserves another installment! Fantastic tennis, some big upsets, and not a single person with the perfect quarterfinals in our bracket challenge. Check back through the week as The Blog will be continuing its NCAA coverage throughout the week, so check back early and often or you’ll likely miss something good!
A-SOUTH
Player: John Carroll University
Team: John Carroll University
Results: Doesn’t Matter
Recap: This weekend, John Carroll captured the hearts of DIII fans everywhere with their boisterous attitudes and a big win in the first round of the NCAA tournament. Citing their “less than one percent chance” to make the quarters, the Blue Streaks played tough. They were led by one of their senior leaders, Jad Abdul-Aal, who also provides us with amazing tweets. While the run may be over, the memories will live on and that’s why I decided to choose a whole team for my POTW. Bandwagon life.
What’s next: Sadly, it’s on to next year.
Honorable Mention: Jeremy Dubin (JHU)
Reaction to GAC over Chicago in 5 words or fewer: Recruiting classes aren’t everything.
Reaction to Williams over Amherst in 5 words or fewer: Recruiting classes aren’t everything.
Quarterfinal match you’re most excited about: Bowdoin/Wash U. Because some things don’t change.
CENTRAL/MIDWEST
Player: Zach Ekstein
Team: GAC
Results: Upset clinching third set win against Eric Kerrigan of Chicago
Recap: While the award goes to Mr. Ekstein, the award should really go to the GAC team and Coach Valentini as well. An interesting tweet from Mr. Entwistle shows that every single player for GAC notched one point in their win against Chicago – seriously, this should be a joint POTW. Congratulations to GAC for winning and reaching their first Elite 8 since Coach Wilkinson departed – it’s been a long road back and we again have GAC in the quarterfinals. I’m sure Ekstein won’t mind sharing this POTW with his teammates.
What’s next: ELITE 8!!!
Honorable Mention: Jason Haugen (WASH), Jeremy Bush (WASH), Jacob Zalenski (Kenyon)
Reaction to GAC over Chicago in 5 words or fewer: No need for 5 stars
Reaction to Williams over Amherst in 5 words or fewer: Amherst fails in May….again
Quarterfinal match you’re most excited about: CMS vs Wesleyan. I think the Stag Hen rematch could be a great one.
NE
Player: Jordan Sadowsky
Team: Williams
Results: 1-0 at #5 singles, 1-0 at #6 singles, 2-0 at #2 doubles.
Recap: Mr. Sadowsky came up big this weekend for Coach Greenberg and the Ephs. While he and Shastri have been good at #2 doubles all year long, he hasn’t played a whole lot of singles. The Ephs had been struggling at the bottom of the lineup whether it was Lil’ Raghavan, Taylor, or Lebowitz. It looks like they may have found their fix! Jordan won 1&0 against Wilkes, then he and Shastri earned a crucial 8-6 doubles win over Herst, before he CLINCHED HIS TEAM’S BERTH IN THE NCAA QUARTERFINALS, with a 6-4 6-4 win over Jesse Levitin. The win was necessary because Fung had just split against Indrakanti and that match was up for grabs. It is also rumored that Sadowsky won the match WHILE CRAMPING. Big fight, big win, big ups.
What’s next: NCAA Quarterfinals! The Ephs will take on No. 1 Emory a week from today.
Honorable Mention: Brian Grodecki (Williams), Gil Roddy (Bowdoin), Hamid Derbani (Middlebury), Michael Liu (Wesleyan), Cam Daniels (Wesleyan).
Reaction to GAC over Chicago in 5 words or fewer: Biggest Sweet-16 upset I remember
Reaction to Williams over Amherst in 5 words or fewer: Rivalry matches are the best
Quarterfinal match you’re most excited about: Toss up between Wesleyan vs CMS and Bowdoin vs Wash U, but some of the bloggers have been touting Wash U all year long as the team that plays well in May. While history certainly shows them to be right, I think Bowdoin wins this match and ends the national champion hangover streak.
WEST
Player: Glenn Hull
Team: CMS
Results: 2-0 singles and doubles
Recap: Hull rules Texas now, as he won both his matches against UTT and Trinity TX this weekend despite playing to decision. CMS may have finally found their doubles lineup with two sweeps and that has a little to do with Hulls play at #2 doubles. In singles, he breezed through UTT and had a tough match against Wilson Lambeth of Trinity, but proved again why he may be the best #2 in the nation.
What’s next: Elite 8 vs Wesleyan
Honorable Mention: Niko Parodi (CMS), Chas Mayer (TTX)
Reaction to GAC over Chicago in 5 words or fewer: This is AS not West
Reaction to Williams over Amherst in 5 words or fewer: West is a total hack
Quarterfinal match you’re most excited about: CMS Wesleyan in homer fashion. Although Wesleyan showed some stuff this weekend against Hopkins.
REGIONAL
Player: Courtney Murphy
Team: Wilkes
Results: 1-1 at #1 doubles, 1-0 at #1 singles and up a set on Rohan Shastri of Williams
Recap: Murphy’s year is not yet over, as he’ll have a trip to Chattanooga coming up, but Murphy had a strong NCAA team tournament in his sophomore season. Wilkes started their tournament with an easy 5-0 win over Messiah, where Murphy won in both singles and doubles. In the second round, Wilkes went up against Williams and fell 5-0, as Murphy and partner T. Haas (short for Troy but I’ll pretend it’s Tommy) lost 8-5 at #1 doubles in a good match. In singles, Murphy was up 6-2, 3-2 on Rohan Shastri when the match was called, but this was still a great result for Murphy and shows he will be able to raise his game in NCAAs.
What’s next: NCAAs! Murphy is the first player in Wilkes men’s tennis history to qualify for individuals, and this is really a culmination of what has been a fantastic year for the sophomore.
Honorable Mention: Thomas More
Reaction to GAC over Chicago in 5 words or fewer: Excited for Eric Butorac!
Reaction to Williams over Amherst in 5 words or fewer: Experience is huge
Quarterfinal match you’re most excited about: CMS vs. Wesleyan. These teams played in Wesleyan’s first match of the season, and CMS won a tight 6-3 contest. Wesleyan is much more battle-tested now than they were then, and I think this will be a fantastic match
REGIONAL AS
Player: Kai Yuen Leung
Team: Skidmore
Results: 2-0 at #1 doubles and 2 splits at 1 singles against TCNJ and Middlebury
Recap: Leung had himself a very good showing this weekend taking both doubles points as well as splitting both singles matches before the overall match was completed. The tiebreaker win over Cuba and de Quant of Middlebury is especially impressive considering how hot this team has been. Kai and his partner JT Wynne snapped Cuba and de Quant’s 7 match winning streak and showed that they will be a legit contender this year at NCAAs. Leung has qualified for individuals the past 3 years in singles and this will be his first time as a doubles contender. The senior has had a great career and will sorely be missed by the Thoroughbreds next season.
What’s next: NCAA individuals for singles and doubles
Honorable Mention: JT Wynne (Skidmore), Jordan Brewer (Sewanee)
Reaction to GAC over Chicago in 5 words or fewer: What the heck just happened?
Reaction to Williams over Amherst in 5 words or fewer: Freshman? You mean fresh meat.
Quarterfinal match you’re most excited about: I’m intrigued by the Bowdoin/Wash U matchup. Both teams are very no BS, hard working teams and I have a feeling this will be an absolute grind. I like Wash U 5-3.
REGIONAL NE/C
Player: Brandon Benedict
Team: Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology
Results: 2-0 at #1 doubles, 1-0 at #2 singles (and up a set before match was abandoned) vs Wheaton and Wash U in NCAA tournament
Recap: I picked Brandon as my player to watch from RHIT, and he did indeed turn out to be worth watching, as the senior finished his career by playing some of his best tennis. In Central #15 Rose’s huge 5-4 win over #12 Wheaton in the NCAA first round, Benedict and fellow senior Georges Adam shocked the #1 team in the region 8-4 to get the Fightin’ Engineers on the board. In singles, Brandon came through again, topping Dane Paulsen 6-4, 6-1. After the emotional win, the first in NCAA history for the school, Benedict, wasn’t satisfied, as he and Adam once again came out and won in doubles against Wash U, the #4 team in the region who had beaten them less than two weeks earlier. In singles, Benedict unfortunately ended his career with an unfinished match, but he was up a set on John Carswell. Overall, not a bad way to go out.
What’s next: Despite this plea:
https://twitter.com/benedict4pope/status/863139532555898880
Brandon’s illustrious career has come to an end. He’ll be missed dearly in Terre Haute, where he departs as the school’s all-time wins leader with 145, playing all four years at #1 doubles and #1 or 2 singles. Hats off to Mr. Benedict on an outstanding career. Here’s hoping the foundation he helped lay for Rose-Hulman tennis is only built upon.
Honorable Mention: David Papis Elon (Yeshiva), Marco Gobbato (Baruch)
Reaction to GAC over Chicago in 5 words or fewer: New faces in Elite8—yay!
Reaction to Williams over Amherst in 5 words or fewer: Four freshmen starters: not ideal.
Quarterfinal match you’re most excited about: Bowdoin vs Wash U. I am really excited to see some UAA vs NESCAC matchups, and I think this will be the closer of the two.