North Carolina State University Athletics
NC State
ITA Regional
Wolfpack Strong at ITA Regionals
10/21/2004 12:00:00 AM | Men's Tennis
Oct. 21, 2004
NC State men's tennis was nothing short of dominant at the ITA Regionals on Thursday, Oct. 21, as qualifying singles and doubles wound down. With three players, Conor Taylor, Nick Cavaday, and Val Banada already slated for the main singles draw, it was up to ten remaining players to qualify for the main draw. Eight players advanced to the main draw, as the Wolfpack posted a 10-2 singles record. Sixteen total players advanced out of qualifying to make the main draw of the ITA Regionals, with NC State comprising five of those spots.
"Our guys have worked hard all fall, and this is another step in the right direction for our program and for this team," head coach Jon Choboy said. "To get eight players in the main draw, and five of the 16 qualifying players in the main draw, is a great accomplishment for our team. We aren't done yet and this is a great region we are in and for us to play like we did is a good start. We have to go out and win the rest of the weekend now."
Mason Schermerhorn, William Noblitt, Andre Iriarte, Will Shaw and David Rozek each won two matches to advance, with Shaw perhaps picking up the most impressive win. After defeating Zorilla-Ditoni of Hampton, 6-3, 6-3, Shaw faced Stephen Rozek, a UVa. standout who is the older brother of NC State's David Rozek. Shaw defeated the UVa. player in straight sets, winning 3 and 2 to advance.
Schermerhorn won over Bell of Liberty, 7-6 (3), 6-0, and over Downing of UVa. 6-3, 6-1. Noblitt won a pair as well, taking out Perna of Duke, 2 and 4, and Gonyer of UVa. 6-4, 7-5. The younger Rozek won in impressive fashion as well, beating Early from Radford, 7-6 (4), 6-1, before beating the talented German freshman from UNC, Wishart. Rozek dropped the first set 6-3 and won the middle set7-6 ( 4) to force a third and deciding set. Wishart jumped on top 3-0 to start, but Rozek rallied to win 7-5. Iriarte was impressive as well, dropping ACC opponent Reichfeld of Maryland, 6-3, 7-6 (2), 6-2 and Rose of ECU 1 and 2 to round out the five advancing players.
Doubles was equally impressive in qualifying, as one doubles team is already in the main draw, as Val Banada and Nick Cavaday will begin play on Friday. Three Wolfpack doubles tandems each won a pair of matches on Thursday, as NC State was perfect in doubles with a 6-0 mark to reach the main draw.
Shaw would team with Zink to win two matches, downing Bates/Strauss of Wake Forest 8-6 and beating Guchard/Schutte of Charleston Southern, 8-1. Shaw smashed four straight aces in his first service game in that match to set an early tone.
Myers and Noblitt improved to 8-2 on the season in doubles, beating Porter/Dayia of UNC 8-6 and Foeur/Vasarevic of Radford 8-1.
Moss of Richmond defeated Dennis Myers in two tight sets, 6-4, 7-5 while Ben Zink fell 6-4, 6-0 to Dayia of North Carolina in singles. Schmerhorn and Taylor defeated Feerle/Magnone of UNC-G 8-2 before dropping an American University duo of Fraussionoux/Jaysing 8-4 to close out the evening for NC State.
All together, the Wolfpack placed eight singles players and four doubles teams in the main draws of the ITA Regionals, up from one singles player and two doubles players in the main draw a year ago.
