Nov. 5, 2007
WILLIAMSBURG, Va. – The University of Notre Dame swept the singles titles in the Tribe Invitational at the McCormack-Nagelsen Tennis Center this weekend. Senior #30 Sheeva Parbhu claimed the top singles flight, while a pair of freshmen, Stephen Havens and Daniel Stahl, captured the second and third singles flights. The Irish duo of freshman David Anderson and Stahl also won the third doubles flight.
As a team, the Irish finished the weekend with a 22-3 record in singles and a 9-3 mark in doubles.
Parbhu (Omaha, NE) opened his draw with a 6-4, 7-5, straight-set victory over Christian Welte of NC State. With the victory, Parbhu drew within one victory of becoming the ninth player in Notre Dame men’s tennis history to ever eclipse 100 career victories. Well, it did not take long. Parbhu promptly disposed of Keziel Juneau of William & Mary, 6-4, 6-0, to reach the 100-win milestone. He joins David DiLucia (1989-92), Ryan Sachire (1997-00), Andy Zurcher (1990-94), Chuck Coleman (1990-93), Mark Schmidt (1990-93), Steven Bass (2003-07), Ron Rosas (1990-93) and Michael Sprouse (1993-96).
Parbhu did drop his next match, 6-3, 4-6, 1-0 (11-9), but closed his weekend with another convincing, straight-set victory over #85 Alex Cojanu of William & Mary, 6-1, 6-4. He went 3-1 over the weekend and improved to 7-5 on the season. Parbhu now stands 101-32 over his career. The 101 victories leave him in a tie with Rosas and Sprouse for seventh on the all-time Irish victories list.
Havens (Cincinnati, OH) put together a perfect 4-0 mark en route to the Flight 2 championship. He kicked off the draw with a 6-0, 7-5, rout of Eric Turner from North Carolina State. Havens then faced Marwan Ramadan of William & Mary. He took the opening set from Ramadan, 7-5, but dropped the second set, 6-4, to set up a third and deciding set (10-point pro set). Havens eventually took the pro-set, 10-5. On the second day, he found himself in quite a hole in his match against Alex Aksanov of Maryland. Aksanov cruised to a 6-0 victory in the opening set, but Havens rallied back and took the next two sets, 6-3, 1-0 (12-10) to secure the win. He capped off the perfect weekend with his second straight-set triumph of the tournament, knocking off Dominic Pagon of William & Mary, 7-6, 6-2. Havens improves to 8-4 on the season.
Freshman Dan Stahl (Bethesda, MD) also rode a perfect 4-0 mark to his Flight 3 title. He was the fourth Irish singles player to go unbeaten over the weekend. Stahl registered a quartet of straight-set victories, including Varun Pandit of William & Mary (6-1, 6-1), Ben Wirth of William & Mary (6-1, 6-2), Michael Coleman of Maryland (7-6, 6-4) and Kavi Sud of William & Mary (6-3, 7-5). He improved to 11-3 on the year.
Davis (Nashville, TN) went 3-0 over the weekend, but nearly dropped his opening match to Varun Pandit of William & Mary. He lost the first set, 6-4, but was able to survive a second-set tiebreaker, 7-6 (4), and then sealed the victory with a 1-0 (10-4) triumph in the deciding pro-set. He next battled Aaron Carr of Maryland, narrowlingly winning the first set, 7-5, but cruised in the second set, 6-0. Davis closed the weekend with his second come-from-behind win. He found himself down a set to Ramadan of William & Mary, after losing 6-1, but Davis answered back with a 6-2 win in the second set and a slim 1-0 (10-8) triumph ion the deciding pro-set. He now stands 9-3 on the season.
Anderson (Sandwich, MA) posted an undefeated weekend as well. He went 3-0 and now stands 9-3 on the season. Anderson cruised past Daniel Schinke of North Carolina State, 6-1, 6-1, before getting past Richard Wardell of William & Mary, 7-5, 2-0 (when Wardell was forced to retire). He capped off the weekend with a three-set triumph over Boris Fetboyt of Maryland, 6-4, 5-7, 1-0 (10-8).
Senior Andrew Roth (Houston, TX) went 2-1 over the weekend. He knocked off Derek Stephens of NC State, 4-6, 6-3, 1-0 (12-10) and Dominic Pagon of William & Mary, 6-4, 7-5. Roth was not as fortunate against Nickolai Nielsen of Maryland, losing 1-6, 6-0, 1-0 (12-10). He evened his record this season to 3-3 and now stands 46-22 for his career.
Junior Santiago Montoya (Austin, TX) also came away with a pair of victories in his three matches this weekend. He defeated Ben Gullickson of William & Mary, 6-4, 6-4, and then was credited with a win over Sebastian Vidal of William & Mary when Vidal was forced to forfeit (Montoya dropped the first set, 6-4, and the second set was tied, 2-2, when it was halted). Montoya was not able to complete a perfect weekend after losing his last match of the tournament to Eric Turner of North Carolina State, 6-4, 7-5. He improves to 5-4 on the season and 9-14 for his career.
Junior #66 Brett Helgeson (Overland Park, KS) proved victorious in his only match of the weekend. He knocked off #85 Cojanu of William & Mary, 6-4, 7-5, to secure his team-leading 13th win of the season (13-1). Helgeson improves to 67-19 for his career.
The invitational closes the fall season for the Irish. Notre Dame will not return to action until the dual match portion of the season opens on Jan. 20 at the Eck Tennis Pavilion against Penn State.
— ND —
Results From Day One of the Tribe Invitational
Singles Flight 1
#30 Sheeva Parbhu (UND) def. Christian Welte (NCSU) – 6-4, 7-5
#66 Brett Helgeson (UND) def. #85 Alex Cojanu (W&M) – 6-4, 7-5
Andrew Roth (UND) def. Derek Stephens (NCSU) – 4-6, 6-3, 12-10
Andrew Roth (UND) def. Dominic Pagon (W&M) – 6-4, 7-5
Singles Flight 2
Stephen Havens (UND) def. Eric Turner (NCSU) – 6-0, 7-5
#30 Sheeva Parbhu (UND) def. Keziel Juneau (W&M) – 6-4, 6-0
David Anderson (UND) def. Daniel Schinke (NCSU) – 6-1, 6-1
Stephen Havens (UND) def. Marwan Ramadan (W&M) – 7-5, 4-6, 10-5
Singles Flight 3
Daniel Stahl (UND) def. Varun Pandit (W&M) – 6-1, 6-1
David Anderson (UND) def. Richard Wardell (W&M) – 7-5, 2-0, retire
Daniel Stahl (UND) def. Ben Wirth (W&M) – 6-1, 6-2
Tyler Davis (UND) def. Varun Pandit (W&M) – 4-6, 7-6 (4), 10-4
Santiago Montoya (UND) def. Ben Gullickson (W&M) – 6-0, 6-4
Doubles Flight 1
Helgeson/Parbhu (UND) def. Juneau/Pagon (W&M) – 8-1
Doubles Flight 2
Roth/Havens (UND) def. Vidal/Cojanu (W&M) – 8-4
Doubles Flight 3
Davis/Montoya (UND) def. Ramadan/Pandit (W&M) – 8-4
Kwon/Coleman (UMD) def. Stahl/Anderson (UND) – 8-3
Results From Day Two of the Tribe Invitational
Singles Flight 1
Amit Inbar (UMD) def. #30 Sheeva Parbhu (UND) – 6-3, 4-6, 11-9
Nickolai Nielsen (UMD) def. Andrew Roth (UND) – 1-6, 6-0, 12-10
Singles Flight 2
David Anderson (UND) def. Boris Fetbroyt (UMD) – 6-4, 5-7, 10-8
Stephen Havens (UND) def. Alex Aksanov (UMD) – 0-6, 6-3, 12-10
Singles Flight 3
Daniel Stahl (UND) def. Michael Coleman (UMD) – 7-6, 6-4
Tyler Davis (UND) def. Aaron Carr (UMD) – 7-5, 6-0
Santiago Montoya (UND) def. Sebastian Vidal (W&M) – 4-6, 2-2, retired
Doubles Flight 1
Inbar/Fetbroyt (UMD) def. Helgeson/Parbhu (UND) – 8-6
Havens/Parbhu (UND) def. Welte/Stevens (NCSU) – 8-3
Doubles Flight 2
Coleman/Neilsen (UMD) def. Davis/Montoya (UND) – 9-7
Davis/Montoya (UND) def. Turner/Schinke (NCSU) – 8-6
Doubles Flight 3
Anderson/Stahl (UND) def. Aksanov/Carr (UMD) – 8-3
Results From Day Three of the Tribe Invitational
Singles Flight 1
#30 Sheeva Parbhu (UND) def. #85 Alex Cojanu (W&M) – 6-1, 6-4
Christian Welte (NCSU) def. David Anderson (UND) – 2-6, 6-4, 10-4
Singles Flight 2
Stephen Havens (UND) def. Dominic Pagon (W&M) – 7-6, 6-2
Tyler Davis (UND) def. Marwan Ramadan (W&M) – 1-6, 6-2, 10-8
Eric Turner (NCSU) def. Santiago Montoya (UND) – 6-4, 7-5
Singles Flight 3
Daniel Stahl (UND) def. Kavi Sud (W&M) – 6-3, 7-5
Doubles Flight 1
Havens/Parbhu (UND) def. Juneau/Pagon (W&M) – 8-4
Doubles Flight 2
Roth/Montoya (UND) def. Sud/Wirth (W&M) – 8-6
Doubles Flight 3
Anderson/Stahl (UND) def. Ramadan/Pandit (W&M) – 8-4