PITTSBURGH, Pa. – Brandeis University junior Simon Miller (Plantation, Fla./Plantation) won a thrilling three-set match in a tiebreaker today, leading the Judges to a 5-4 come-from-behind victory over 15th-ranked University of Chicago in the quarterfinals of the 2010 University Athletic Association championships at Carnegie Mellon University today. With the win, the Judges advance to the UAA tournament semifinals for the first time since 2003 and the first time under head coach Ben Lamanna, where they will face top-seeded and second-ranked Washington University tomorrow at 12:30 p.m.
The Judges, seeded fifth in the tournament, trailed 2-1, after doubles action. Their lone point came at No. 3, where sophomore Mike Tatarsky (Wayne, N.J./Wayne Valley) and rookie Fred Rozenshteyn (Fair Lawn, N.J./Fair Lawn) were 8-5 victors, helping Brandeis avoid a sweep.
Chicago won the first two singles matches handily at No. 6 and No. 4, taking a 4-1 lead. The Judges caught a break at No. 5 singles, where Rozenshteyn won the first set, 6-2, and owned a 4-3 lead in the second when his opponent defaulted after taking too much time during a break. Rookie Steven Milo (Woodbury, N.Y./Syosset) recorded a late break in the second set to take a 6-3, 7-5, win at third singles to cut the lead to 4-3.
At the top of the line-up, junior transfer Nick White (Wellesley, Mass./Wellesley) survived a tie-breaker in the first set, 7-6 (7-4) before taking command with a 6-2 win in the second to even the match and put the pressure on Miller at No. 2.
Miller had a strong start, winning the first set, 6-2, before Maroon sophomore Troy Brinker rallied for a 7-5 win in the second set. In the taut third set, Brinker earned the first break of serve to take a 5-3 lead. In his next service game, Brinker twice served for the match, but Miller held him off to get back on serve. With Miller serving to stay in the match at 5-6, he fell behind, 0-30, but again bounced back to force the third set into a tiebreaker. In the tiebreaker, Miller earned the first mini-break to go up, 3-1. Brinker got back to within 4-3, but Miller won the last three points of the match, including an incredible drop shot, to clinch the 5-4 Brandeis victory and a berth in the semifinals
2010 UAA Men's Tennis Championship
Brandeis University vs University of Chicago (Apr 23, 2010)
Brandeis University 5, #15 University of Chicago 4
Apr 23, 2010 at Pittsburgh, Pa.
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Singles competition |
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1. Nick White (BRMTEN) def. Jan Stefanski (UCM) 7-6 (7-4), 6-2 |
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2. Simon Miller (BRMTEN) def. Troy Brinker (UCM) 6-2, 5-7, 7-6 (7-3) |
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3. Steven Milo (BRMTEN) def. Johnathan Alexander (UCM) 6-3, 7-5 |
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4. Harrison Abrams (UCM) def. Dave Yovanoff (BRMTEN) 6-3, 6-0 |
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5. Fred Rozenshteyn (BRMTEN) def. Dillon Klincke (UCM) 6-2, 4-3, default |
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6. Garrett Brinker (UCM) def. Seth Rogers (BRMTEN) 6-0, 6-1 |
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Doubles competition |
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1. Steve Saltarelli/Garrett Brinker (UCM) def. Simon Miller/Nick White (BRMTEN) 8-3 |
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2. Troy Brinker/Jan Stefanski (UCM) def. Steven Milo/Dave Yovanoff (BRMTEN) 8-6 |
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3. Michael Tatarsky/Fred Rozenshteyn (BRMTEN) def. Kunal Pawa/Harrison Abrams (UCM) 8-5 |
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Match Notes |
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Brandeis University 9-8 |
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University of Chicago 13-6; National ranking #15 |
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Order of finish: Doubles (1,2,3); Singles (6,4,5,3,1,2) |
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UAA Quarterfinal Match: #4 Chicago vs. #5 Brandeis |
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Brandeis advances to play Washington in the semifinals Saturday at 12:30 a.m. |
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