Feb. 2, 2008

Results

EVANSTON, Ill. -- Northwestern improved to 5-2 this season -- matching its best start since the 2003-04 campaign -- with a 7-0 defeat of the Bradley Braves Saturday afternoon at Combe Tennis Center.

The 'Cats started with the doubles point, winning all three matches in convincing fashion. At No. 1, Alex Sanborn and Marc Dwyer defeated Bradley's tandem of Evgeny Samoylov and Milos Romic 8-2, reeling off five straight points to close it out. The No. 3 team of Juan Gomez and David Seyferth also won with a score of 8-2, defeating the Braves' Wilder Sampson and Vuk Bolic, with match point coming off a Seyferth backhand volley winner.

No. 2 doubles was hotly contested as the 'Cats' duo of Peter Rispoli and Alexander Thams faced Bradley's Richard Robertson and Michel Macara-chvili. The 'Cats jumped out to a 6-2 lead before the momentum shifted in the Braves' favor and they evened the match at 6-6. Rispoli responded, breaking the Braves' serve with a forehand down the line and then serving out the match with an ace to win it 8-6.

Northwestern's splendid play continued with victories in all six singles matches. Perhaps the most dominating match was Alex Sanborn's 6-0, 6-1 defeat of Bradley's Vuk Bolic at No.3 singles. Sanborn reeled off 11 consecutive points before Bolic got on the board at 5-1 in the second set.

At No. 1, Dwyer won the first set handily against Bradley's Romic and kept the momentum going into the second set with an early break, resulting in a 6-1, 6-3 win. Thams took on the Braves' Samoylov at No. 2, fending off early break points opportunities in both sets to take the momentum and then never letting go for a 6-2, 6-1 victory.

Freshman Peter Rispoli improved to a 3-1 record at No. 4 singles, beating Bradley's Michel Macara-chvili 6-2, 6-2. At No. 5, the 'Cats Juan Gomez defeated Sampson 6-4, 6-2. Seyferth clinched the dual for the `Cats at No. 6 with a 7-5, 6-2 win over the Braves' Robertson.

Between the doubles and singles matches, former head coach Paul Torricelli was honored with a ceremony on the courts at the Combe Tennis Center. Former players, colleagues and tennis fans in the community paid tribute to Torricelli's 24 years as head coach of Northwestern's men's tennis program.

The 'Cats return to action Feb. 9 against VCU. It is part of a two-match road trip to Virginia. NU faces William & Mary on Feb. 10. The Wildcats' next home matches are against Dartmouth on February 16th followed by Arizona State on February 17th.

Doubles:
1. Dwyer/Sanborn (NU) def. Samoylov/Romic (BU) 8-2
2. Rispoli/Thams (NU) def. Robertson/Macara-chvili (BU) 8-6
3. Gomez/Seyferth (NU) def. Sampson/Bolic (BU) 8-2

Singles:
1. Dwyer (NU) def. Romic (BU) 6-1, 6-3
2. Thams (NU) def. Samoylov (BU) 6-2, 6-1
3. Sanborn (NU) def. Bolic (BU) 6-0, 6-1
4. Rispoli (NU) def. Macara-chvili (BU) 6-2, 6-2
5. Gomez (NU) def. Sampson (BU) 6-4, 6-2
6. Seyferth (NU) def. Robertson (BU) 7-5, 6-2