Spunda, Doubles Teams Reach Semifinals At Bollettieri-Triebly Open :: Owls will wrap up fall season on Thursday at ITAs

Oct. 12, 2008

BRADENTON, FL - Junior Nathan Spunda and a pair of doubles teams reached the semifinals this weekend for the Temple men's tennis team at the Bollettieri-Triebly Open in Bradenton, FL. The Owls picked up singles victories over players from Miami, who finished 19th nationally last season.

"We had another successful tournament against some of the top teams in the nation, including Miami who was ranked #19 last year," head coach Steve Mauro said. "It was a great effort and we look forward to ITAs this week."

Spunda opened play with a 6-2, 6-3 over Miami's Westin Wendt and followed with a 6-2, 6-0 victory over freshman teammate Dmitry Vizhnov. He fell in the semifinals to Florida A&M's Michael Moore, 4-6, 7-6, 10-2.

Junior Pavlos Stephanides picked up a pair of victories as well in singles play. He defefated Eckerd's Alex McDonald, 6-3, 6-0 and Eckerd's Aaron Kleefield, 6-3, 6-3. His loss was to FAMU's Moore, 6-1, 6-0.

Other Temple singles wins came from senior Eduardo Saavedra, a 6-1, 6-2 win over Eckerd's JP Walker; senior Ricardo Velazquez also defeated Walker, 6-1, 6-2; and freshman Filip Rams defeated Hector Nieto, 4-6, 6-3, 10-4.

In doubles, Velazquez and Vizhunov defeated Kleefield and Walker of Eckerd, 8-3, and Rams and Saavedra beat Sato/Maxwell of Eckerd, 8-2. Both teams lost in the semifinals.