Feb. 8, 2004
NOTRE DAME, Ind. – Playing without a pair of key starters, the 49th-ranked University of Notre Dame men’s tennis team (4-2) showcased its depth in registering a 5-2 victory over #53 Purdue (3-1) Sunday afternoon in the Eck Tennis Pavilion. The Irish won the doubles points and then dropped only a combined seven games in convincing victories in the three bottom singles matches. The Irish will return to action next Sunday, Feb. 15, playing host to Wisconsin at Noon (EST) in the Eck Pavilion.
Notre Dame was without the services of senior tri-captain Luis Haddock (Caguas, P.R./Notre Dame H.S.) and freshman Ryan Keckley (South Bend, Ind./St. Joseph’s H.S.), who combine to be the top Irish doubles team and ranked 18th in the nation. In singles, Haddock is in his second year as Notre Dame’s No. 1 player, while Keckley plays No. 6. Haddock was in action this weekend for his native Puerto Rico in a Davis Cup tie against the Bahamas, while Keckley was out with a sprained ankle suffered in last Sunday’s match at #8 Duke.
The bottom half of the Irish singles lineup is shaping up to be one of Notre Dame’s strengths this season. With the three wins on Sunday, the Irish are 14-4 this spring in matches at Nos. 4, 5, and 6. Sophomores Eric Langenkamp (Scarsdale, N.Y./Scarsdale H.S.) and Patrick Buchanan (Fullerton, Calif./Servite H.S.), who are not normally in the Irish singles lineup, stepped in for dominating straight-set victories at Nos. 5 and 6, respectively. Langenkamp was first off the court with a 6-0, 6-1 triumph against Filip Koziell. He won the initial nine games of the match en route to improving his season record to 14-2. Buchanan quickly followed with a 6-1, 6-2 win over Sounak Chatterjee of India. Buchanan moved to 9-3 this season, while Chatterjee was 7-3 heading into the contest.
Freshman Barry King (Dublin, Ireland/Gonzaga College) clinched the victory for Notre Dame with a 6-1, 6-2 win at No. 4 over Colin Foster. King is 2-0 this spring in playing up a slot in the lineup due to Irish injuries.
Notre Dame reversed its fortunes in doubles, taking the initial point of the match for just the second time this season against a team that swept the Irish in doubles a year ago. The point came down to the No. 3 match, where Langenkamp and senior Paul Hidaka (Tokyo, Japan/St. Mary’s International School) came through for a 9-7 triumph against Foster and David Robinson. The Irish team jumped out to a 7-4 lead with two service breaks in hand, but then dropped three consecutive games. With the match tied 7-7, Hidaka looped a backhand return past Robinson and onto the baseline to give Notre Dame a fourth service break. After multiple match points in both the final game and leading 7-4, the Irish finally converted with an ace by Hidaka.
Purdue took the initial doubles match off the court, as Chatterjee and Koziell needed just one service break — coming at 2-2 — to secure an 8-6 triumph over King and freshman Stephen Bass (Bronxville, N.Y./Iona Preparatory School). Notre Dame struck back with an 8-5 win at No. 1 from a pair of tri-captains, senior Matthew Scott (Oakton, Va./International School of Paris) and junior Brent D’Amico (Castle Rock, Colo./St. Stephen’s Episcopal School).
After the outcome was determined, Paul Rose improved to 15-5 this season by beating D’Amico 6-2, 6-3 at No. 2.
Scott, ranked 68th in the nation and playing No. 1 for the first time in his career, then downed South Bend native and 2000 Penn High School graduate Troy Havens 6-4, 4-6, 1-0 (10-6). Scott is 14-6 this season.
In the final match on-court, which was still in its first set when two singles matches finished and was in the first game of the second set when the team match outcome was clinched, Robinson beat freshman Stephen Bass (Bronxville, N.Y./Iona Preparatory School) 6-7 (7-9), 6-4, 1-0 (10-8) at No. 4.
Notre Dame beat Purdue for the 15th consecutive time, dating back to 1988.
#49 Notre Dame 5, #53 Purdue 2
Singles
No. 1: #68 Matthew Scott (ND) d. Troy Havens (P) 6-4, 4-6, 1-0 (10-6)
No. 2: Paul Rose (P) d. Brent D’Amico (ND) 6-2, 6-3
No. 3: David Robinson (P) d. Stephen Bass (ND) 6-7 (7-9), 6-4, 1-0 (10-8)
No. 4: Barry King (ND) d. Colin Foster (P) 6-1, 6-2
No. 5: Eric Langenkamp (ND) d. Filip Koziell (P) 6-0, 6-1
No. 6: Patrick Buchanan (ND) d. Sounak Chatterjee (P) 6-1, 6-2
Order of Finish: 5, 6, 4*, 2, 1, 3
Doubles
No. 1: D’Amico/Scott (ND) d. Havens/Rose (P) 8-5
No. 2: Chatterjee/Koziell (P) d. S. Bass/King (ND) 8-6
No. 3: Paul Hidaka/Eric Langenkamp (ND) d. Foster/Robinson (P) 9-7
Order of Finish: 2, 1, 3*
* denotes clinching match