Jan. 21, 2011
AUBURN, Ala. - The Auburn men's tennis team kicked off the 2011 season with a bang Friday as the team won all 12 of its matches on the first day of the Auburn Winter Invitational at the Yarbrough Tennis Center. In total, the team won four doubles and eight singles matches.
"Overall, I thought we played well and had good energy for our first match," head coach Eric Shore said. "The new freshmen handled themselves really well today and we proved that we have a lot of depth. Our goal was to get a feel for where everyone is at in their training and I think that was accomplished today."
The Tigers opened the tournament facing Army and swept the doubles competition. Senior Tim Puetz and junior Alex Stamchev topped Army's Asika Isoh and Tripp Johnson, 8-1, while freshman Daniel Cochrane and sophomore Lucas Lopasso picked up an 8-5 win over Donald Van Velzer and Henry Jang-Milsten.
Auburn sophomore Tim Hewitt and freshman Rafael Rondino paired to defeat Army's Alex Holland and Rommel Verano, 8-1. The Tigers' final duo of senior Michel Monteiro and sophomore Michael Wardell garnered an 8-2 victory over Rashad Shelton and Andrew Clark.
In singles competition, Stamchev tallied a 6-2, 6-1 victory over Isoh at the No. 1 singles position. Also picking up quick wins were sophomore Andreas Mies (6-0, 6-3), Lopasso (6-0, 6-4) and Wardell (6-2, 6-2).
Earning the first collegiate victories of their careers were Rondino and Cochrane. Rondino tallied a 6-3, 6-0 win over Holland at No. 5 singles. Cochrane, competing at No. 3 singles, dropped the first set (4-6), but came back to take sets two (6-1) and three (6-4) over Johnson.
Also earning wins for the Tigers were Hewitt and Monteiro. Hewitt beat Van Velzer 7-5, 6-4 and Monteiro tallied a 7-5, 6-0 win over Clark.
Auburn faces SEC rival Arkansas on day two of the Auburn Invitational at 2 p.m. Saturday. Mississippi State and Army kick off the day with an 8:30 a.m. match. All matches are held at the Yarbrough Tennis Center and admission is free.
Against Army
Singles
1. Alex Stamchev (Auburn) def. Asika Isoh (Army); 6-2, 6-1
2. Tim Hewitt (Auburn) def. Donald Van Velzer (Army); 7-5, 6-4
3. Daniel Cochrane (Auburn) def. Tripp Johnson (Army); 4-6, 6-1, 6-4
4. Andreas Mies (Auburn) def. Henry Jan-Milsten (Army); 6-0, 6-3
5. Rafael Rondino (Auburn) def. Alex Holland (Army); 6-3, 6-0
6. Lucas Lopasso (Auburn) def. Rommel Verano (Army); 6-0, 6-4
7. Michael Wardell (Auburn) def. Rashad Shelton (Army); 6-2, 6-2
8. Michel Monteiro (Auburn) def. Andrew Clark (Army); 7-5, 6-0
Doubles
1. Puetz/Stamchev (Auburn) def. Isoh/Johnson (Army); 8-1
2. Cochrane/Lopasso (Auburn) def. Van Velzer/Jang-Milsten (Army); 8-5
3. Hewitt/Rondino (Auburn) def. Holland/Verano (Army); 8-1
4. Monteiro/Wardell (Auburn) def. Shelton/Clark (Army); 8-2