March 13, 2010
TAMPA, Fla. – The Fighting Irish men’s tennis team fell at BIG EAST rival South Florida on Saturday, 4-3, at the USF Varsity Tennis Courts. Notre Dame rallied from a 0-3 deficit to tie the match at 3-3, but fell short as Peter Frank clinched the match with a win at third singles for the Bulls.
South Florida took a 1-0 lead by winning the doubles point. At No. 1 doubles, the Irish duo of Stephen Havens (Cincinnati, Ohio/Hill Christian School) and Niall Fitzgerald (Wicklow, Ireland/Blackrock College) lost to USF’s Jamal Adderley and Thomas Estrada, 8-4. Notre Dame then notched a win at No. 3 doubles when David Anderson (Sandwich, Mass./Sandwich) and Daniel Stahl (Bethesda, Md.) combined to take out Romain Deridder and Frank, 8-2. But USF clinched the doubles point at the No. 2 position as Wael Kilani and Yannick Yoshizawa edged Tyler Davis (Nashville, Tenn./Father Ryan) and Spencer Talmadge (Hillsborough, Calif./Junipero Serra), 8-6.
The Bulls added to their lead with wins at first and second singles. Kilani, who is ranked 114th, downed Havens 6-2, 6-3 at No. 1 singles and Adderley beat 72nd-ranked Stahl at No. 2 singles 6-3, 6-4 to give USF a 3-0.
But, as has often been the case this season, the Irish battled back to make it a close contest. At fifth singles, freshman Blas Moros (Boca Raton, Fla./Pine Crest School) got the Irish on the board with a 6-4, 6-4 win over Mark Oljaca. It marked Moros’ fifth singles win of the dual season. Then Davis cut the Bulls lead to 3-2 with a win at sixth singles. The junior captain defeated Juan Carlos Acuna in a three-set match 2-6, 6-0, 6-4 for his third singles win of the dual season.
Samuel Keeton (Kansas City, Mo./The Pembroke Hill School) added to his personal unbeaten streak and tied the match at 3-3 with a win at fourth singles. After dropping a close first set he knocked-off Deridder 6-7 (1-7), 6-1, 6-2. Keeton is now 8-0 in dual season singles play this year and the win marked his first of the year at No. 4 singles.
But the Irish comeback fell just short as Frank clinched the win for USF with a tough three-set win at No. 3 singles over Anderson 4-6, 6-2, 6-4. It was Anderson’s first start at No. 3 singles this season.
With the loss, 44th-ranked Notre Dame moves to 6-7 on the season, while the Bulls improve to 4-6. Notre Dame was forced to alter its expected singles and doubles lineups when 19th-ranked Casey Watt (Gibsonia, Pa./Pine-Richland) was unable to play due to illness.
The Irish have a quick turnaround as they now travel to Tallahassee, Fla. to take on the 19th-ranked Seminoles at noon on Sunday, March 14. Live stats for Sunday’s match can be accessed via Notre Dame’s schedule page and a complete recap of the contest will be posted on und.com following the match.
Notes Notre Dame now leads the all-time series with South Florida, 4-2, but the Bulls have won the last two meetings … The Fighting Irish could see USF again this season as the Bulls will also take part in the 2010 Blue-Gray National Classic in Montgomery, Ala. and the 2010 BIG EAST tournament in Notre Dame, Ind. …. the most recent Campbell/ITA rankings were released on Tuesday, March 9 and the Irish moved to 44th … in the individual rankings, Casey Watt is 19th and Daniel Stahl is a career best 72nd … After this weekend’s action, Notre Dame will have faced a ranked opponent in 10 of its 14 matches (the Campbell/ITA rankings slot the top-75 teams) … Sam Keeton is 8-0 in 2010 dual season singles play … seven of Notre Dame’s 13 matches have been decided by just one point … Notre Dame is 5-1 on the season when claiming the doubles point.
Notre Dame vs. South FloridaMar 13, 2010 at Tampa, Fla.
South Florida 4, #44 Notre Dame 3
Singles1. #114 Wael Kilani (USF) def. Stephen Havens (ND) 6-2, 6-32. Jamal Adderley (USF) def. #72 Daniel Stahl (ND) 6-3, 6-43. Peter Frank (USF) def. David Anderson (ND) 4-6, 6-2, 6-44. Samuel Keeton (ND) def. Romain Deridder (USF) 6-7 (1-7), 6-1, 6-25. Blas Moros (ND) def. Mark Oljaca (USF) 6-4, 6-46. Tyler Davis (ND) def. J. C. Acuna Gerard (USF) 2-6, 6-0, 6-4
Doubles1. Jamal Adderley/Thomas Estrada (USF) def. Niall Fitzgerald/Stephen Havens (ND) 8-42. Yannick Yoshizawa/Wael Kilani (USF) def. Tyler Davis/Spencer Talmadge (ND) 8-63. Daniel Stahl/David Anderson (ND) def. Romain Deridder/Peter Frank (USF) 8-2
Match NotesNotre Dame 6-7; National ranking #44South Florida 4-6Order of finish: Doubles (1,3,2); Singles (1,2,5,6,4,3)
–ND–