Temple University Athletics
Men's Tennis Receives Six Seed At A-10s; Faces La Salle On Friday
4.22.09 | Men's Tennis
April 22, 2009
PHILADELPHIA - The Temple men's tennis team received the sixth seed at this week's Atlantic 10 Championship on April 24-26 at Club 4 Life in Monroeville, PA. The Owls will take on #11 La Salle on Friday at 11 AM. If the Cherry and White defeat the Explorers, it will play #3 Saint Louis on Friday at 5 PM.
The Owls (12-8) have won six straight matches and compiled a 5-2 record against A-10 opponents this spring. TU dropped close matches to #1 George Washington (4-3) and #2 Xavier (5-2) earlier this season.
Fourth-year head coach Steve Mauro has been led by senior Nathan Spunda and freshman Filip Rams. Spunda, an all-conference selection in 2007, compiled a 17-11 singles record and a perfect 4-0 at #1 since moving to the top flight in March. Rams leads the A-10 with 23 singles wins and was 6-4 at #1 and 5-0 at #2.
Senior captain Ricardo Velazquez will most likely start at #3 singles, while two more freshman, Dmitry Vizhnuov and Mansur Gishkaev, have played primarily at #4 and #5, respectively. Vizhunov went 18-11, including 4-0 at #3 and 8-2 at #4, and Gishkaev was 13-7 overall and 7-3 at #5.
Senior Eduardo Saavedra, who teams with Rams at #1 doubles, compiled a 6-3 mark at #6 singles this season. In doubles, Rams and Saavedra went 18-8.
George Washington, the top seed for the 2009 Championship, is led by sophomore Chris Kushma (10-3) and freshman Ugur Atalay, a one-time A-10 Player Rookie of the Week selection. Atalay enters this week's action with a team-best 15-6 record in singles action. The Colonials (11-7) are vying for their second-ever A-10 title and first since 1979.
Xavier captured its first A-10 crown after downing George Washington, 4-0, in the finals last season. This year, the Musketeers (14-7) are led by senior Ra'ees Ismail, whose 21-12 record in singles play ranks in the top-five of the league. A three-time Player of the Week selection this season, Ismail has also enjoyed success in doubles, entering the Championship with a 23-10 ledger.
The seeds for the Championship are George Washington (first), Xavier (second), Saint Louis (third), St. Bonaventure (fourth), Charlotte (fifth), Temple (sixth), Duquesne (seventh), Saint Joseph's (eighth), Dayton (ninth), Richmond (tenth), La Salle (eleventh) and Fordham (twelfth).
Play begins on Friday, Apr. 24, at 8:00am, with the final match of the day starting at 5:00pm. On Saturday, Apr. 25, play begins at 8:00am and with the final match slated for 2:00pm. The fifth-place match of the Atlantic 10 Men's Tennis Championship will commence on Sunday, Apr. 26, at 8:00am. The title and third-place matches close out the event at 11:00am.
