Men's tennis shows well at Alabama tournament
Allison Varnell
Issue date: 11/5/09 Section: Sports
The UTC men's tennis team spent Halloween weekend in Tuscaloosa, Alabama at the Crimson Tide Fall Championships.
Freshman Chris Smith, from Johnson City, Tenn., led the way for the Mocs, winning the consolation bracket of the Stallings draw in the singles half of the tournament. Although he played hard throughout the tournament, he had a few lucky breaks as well.
Smith advanced from the first round when Jacksonville State's Eric Mattheison retired after only one game.
His biggest challenge came in the semifinals against Gardner-Webb's Jeremy Tardiff. Smith hung on to the match though, taking it with a final score of 6-1, 7-6.
Smith was not tested in the finals when Jacksonville State's Felipe Wanatabe also retired.
Another UTC freshman, Stephen Crofford, from Franklin, Tenn., made it to the quarterfinals of his draw, but was eliminated when he dropped a competitive three set match to Tennessee Tech's Arturo Santo, 6-1, 4-6, 6-1.
In the Crimson draw of the doubles bracket, Mocs freshmen Ryan Pool, from Melbourne, Australia, and Roberto Vieira, from Bedfordview, South Africa, fell in the round of 32 to Tennessee's Ed Jones and Max Stevens, 8-5.
The White draw of the doubles bracket also featured some exciting Mocs' action. Crofford and sophomore Sam Parfitt, of Norwich, England, made it to the round of 16 but were defeated by Alabama's Creighton Blanchard and Michael Davis 8-6.
After advancing by default to the quarterfinals, Smith and junior Rick van de Bovenkamp, of Oud-Beyerland, The Netherlands, lost to Tennessee Tech's Josh Girling and Mario Gutierrez 8-2.
Alabama finished the weekend with the most titles, three of which came were singles matches with the other two coming from doubles matches.
The Crimson Tide Fall Championships was the final tournament for the men's tennis team.
They do not return to action until Jan. 16, with their first match coming against non-conference opponent Vanderbilt.
Freshman Chris Smith, from Johnson City, Tenn., led the way for the Mocs, winning the consolation bracket of the Stallings draw in the singles half of the tournament. Although he played hard throughout the tournament, he had a few lucky breaks as well.
Smith advanced from the first round when Jacksonville State's Eric Mattheison retired after only one game.
His biggest challenge came in the semifinals against Gardner-Webb's Jeremy Tardiff. Smith hung on to the match though, taking it with a final score of 6-1, 7-6.
Smith was not tested in the finals when Jacksonville State's Felipe Wanatabe also retired.
Another UTC freshman, Stephen Crofford, from Franklin, Tenn., made it to the quarterfinals of his draw, but was eliminated when he dropped a competitive three set match to Tennessee Tech's Arturo Santo, 6-1, 4-6, 6-1.
In the Crimson draw of the doubles bracket, Mocs freshmen Ryan Pool, from Melbourne, Australia, and Roberto Vieira, from Bedfordview, South Africa, fell in the round of 32 to Tennessee's Ed Jones and Max Stevens, 8-5.
The White draw of the doubles bracket also featured some exciting Mocs' action. Crofford and sophomore Sam Parfitt, of Norwich, England, made it to the round of 16 but were defeated by Alabama's Creighton Blanchard and Michael Davis 8-6.
After advancing by default to the quarterfinals, Smith and junior Rick van de Bovenkamp, of Oud-Beyerland, The Netherlands, lost to Tennessee Tech's Josh Girling and Mario Gutierrez 8-2.
Alabama finished the weekend with the most titles, three of which came were singles matches with the other two coming from doubles matches.
The Crimson Tide Fall Championships was the final tournament for the men's tennis team.
They do not return to action until Jan. 16, with their first match coming against non-conference opponent Vanderbilt.
