The Elon University men’s tennis team wrapped up its weekend at the Wolfpack Invitational Sunday, Jan. 12, with a disappointing 0-10 record against host North Carolina State University.
Having played the host team one day prior in doubles, the maroon and gold returned to the J.W. Isenhour Tennis Center for a slate of singles. Senior Cameron Silverman lost his match against fellow ranked opposition, No. 50 Austin Powell, in three sets 6-2, 5-6, 6-4. Junior Stefan Fortmann and sophomore Robert Lindgren were the only other Elon players to not fall in straight sets. Fortmann was defeated by Sean Webber 6-5, 5-6, 6-2, while Lindgren lost to No. 76 Robbie Mudge 6-4, 5-6, 6-4.
The Phoenix opened up the Wolfpack Invite on Friday, Jan. 10, against the College of William & Mary Tribe. The two sides squared off in eight singles matches. Junior Brian Kowalski was the first to finish for the Phoenix as the Tampa, Fla., resident defeated Will Juggins in straight sets 6-5(4), 6-1 at No. 3 singles. Silverman, who entered play ranked 25th in the nation, brushed aside Ben Guthrie in straight sets 6-5(4), 6-3 in No. 1 singles.
Fortmann fell in his first action of the 2014 season losing to Ben Hoogland 6-5(2), 6-1 at No. 2 singles. Sophomore Robert Lindgren was the only other Elon player to lose his match as he was defeated by Damn Niquet 6-4, 6-4 at No. 4 singles.
Juniors Jordan Kaufman and Dan Sablik and sophomore Ismael Sanchez Delfin won their matches in straight sets at the No. 5, No. 7, and No. 8 positions, respectively. Junior Juan Madrid was the only one to go to a third set as the No. 6 player edged out Scott Huang 3-6, 6-2, 6-5(8) despite dropping the first set.
On Saturday, Jan. 11, the Phoenix took the court for a day of doubles action. In Elon’s first doubles matches of the season, the maroon and gold struggled against the 35th ranked host N.C. State. Silverman and Fortmann were the lone duo to win a first round match defeating the 54th-ranked pairing of Robbie Mudge and Sean Weber 6-5(4). Elon’s pairings of Madrid/Kaufman and Gealsen/Humphreys failed to impress in their losses, while the Lindgren and Kowalski went to a tiebreaker before eventually falling 6-5(5).
In the second round of doubles action against the Wolfpack, Elon’s play continued to struggle as none of the four pairings managed to win their matches. Silverman and Fortmann failed to make it two wins out of two in doubles, falling to No. 19 Weber/Horton, 6-3.
The Phoenix then took on William & Mary to complete their doubles portion of contest that began the night before. Elon’s strong showing in singles the previous day failed to carry over to the doubles contest as the Phoenix only managed three wins out of the eight total matches. In the first round, Silverman/Fortmann and Lindgren/Kowalski lost by identical scores 6-5(2) at the No. 1 and No. 2 positions, while Elon’s lone victory in the first round came from the No. 3 position. The Pairing of Madrid and Kaufman knocked off Banks/Hoogland 6-4.
The Phoenix and Tribe split the second round with both sides coming away with two victories. Silverman and Kowalski defeated Juggins and Huang while Sablik and Geaslen defeated junior Zach Braig and freshman Austin Davidow.
The Phoenix will recuperate before heading off to Durham, N.C., to take on the Duke University Blue Devils on Friday, Jan. 17. Elon will face ACC opposition once more a week later against the University of Virginia before heading home to take on both Norfolk State University and University of North Carolina-Asheville on Saturday, Feb. 8.