Men's Tennis Opens With Impressive Showing At Navy Invitational

Friday, September 11

Annapolis, Md.

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Temple University

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Men's Tennis Opens With Impressive Showing At Navy Invitational

9.11.09 | Men's Tennis

Rams brothers lead way in opening match

ANNAPOLIS< MD - The Temple men's tennis team had a strong opening to the 2009-10 season, winning all but one singles match against Duquesne in the first day of competition at the Navy Invitational held at the Tose Family Tennis Center.

"I could see that the guys really worked hard over the summer and came back in great shape," Temple head coach Steve Mauro said. "I am very happy with the way we played as a team. It was exciting tennis and a great way to start the season."

Although their was no team scoring in the match, the Owls thoroughly dominated their in-state conference rivals. The Rams brothers, Filip and Kacper, dispatched Duquesne's 2009 all-Atlantic 10 senior duo of Jeremy McClelland and Mark Maciuch in first and second singles, respectively. TU's Polish connection also defeated the Duke combo, 8-3, at first doubles.

Sophomore Dmitry Vizhunov, who joined Filip Rams as a first team all-conference performer last year, won his third singles match against Gustavo Villares, 6-3, 6-4. Vizhunov then teamed with his fellow Russian countryman, Mansur Gishkaev, to win a tightly-contested second doubles match, 8-6, against Kyle O'Leary and Bryan Roberts.

Gishkaev also won his singles match, a three-setter (6-1, 5-7, 6-2), over Roberts at the fourth slot. O'Leary defeated Temple's Matt King, 6-1, 7-5, for the lone Owl loss on the day.

The Navy Invitational continues Saturday and Sunday. Weather permitting the matches will be played outdoors on the grounds of the USNA. The round-robin, flighted tournament continues Saturday with Navy facing Duquesne at 9 a.m. followed by Temple taking on Marist at 2 p.m. Sunday's matches have Marist and Duquesne playing at 9 a.m. and the tournament concluding with the Navy vs. Temple match at 2 p.m.

Duquesne vs. Temple
Doubles
1 - Kacper Rams / Filip Rams (T) def. Mark Maciuch / Jeremy McClelland, 8-3
2 - Mansur Gishkaev / Dmitry Vizhunov (T) def. Kyle O'Leary / Bryan Roberts, 8-6

Singles
1 - Filip Rams (T) def. Jeremy McClelland, 7-6 (2), 7-6 (5)
2 - Kacper Rams (T) def. Mark Maciuch, 6-3, 3-6, 6-3
3 - Dmitry Vizhunov (T) def. Gustavo Villares, 6-3, 6-4
4 - Mansur Gishkaev (T) def. Bryan Roberts, 6-1, 5-7, 6-2
5 - Kyle O'Leary (D) def. Matt King, 6-1, 7-5

Marist vs. Navy
Doubles
1 - Christian Coley /Marcus Von Nordheim (M) def. Nick Birger / Zach Nicholson, 8-4
2 - Owen Bullard / Eddie Konrad (N) def. Hank Bessinger / Loic Sessagesimi, 8-4
3 - Matt Himmelsbach / Nicholas Pisecky (M) def. Jeremy New / Jarrad Smoke, 9-7
4 - Marcus Rebersak / Anderson Walls (N) def. Michael Land / Ian Sims, 8-4

Singles
1 - Christian Coley (M) def. Anderson Walls, 6-1, 6-1
2 - Loic Sessagesimi (M) def. Marr Richmond, 6-1, 6-3
3 - Nicolas Pisecky (M) def. Owen Bullard, 6-4, 7-5
4 - Marcus Rebersak (N) def. Marcus Von Nordheim, 6-3, 4-6, 6-3
5 - Hank Bessinger (M) def. Zach Nicholson, 1-6, 6-4, 6-2
6 - Matt Himmelsbach (M) def. Eddie Konrad, 3-6, 6-4, 6-1
7 - Nick Birger (N) def. Ian Sims, 6-7 (7), 6-3, 6-1
8 - Nicholas Gutsche (N) def. Michael Land, 6-2, 6-0