Gators Buzzed the Competition at Oberlin Tourney

Nice Buzz Cuts Guys!

Max changed his major to buzz cuts!

The men's team competed at the First Annual Oberlin College tennis tournament the weekend of September 26 and 27. In addition to a full schedule of singles and doubles matches, star freshman and "team barber" Max Hennessy gave all the members of the travel squad matching buzz cuts! Nice job Max, the team looks great!

Read below for a recap of this weekends matches and check out some video clips highlighting the action!

9/28/2009 11:27:54 AM

OBERLIN, Ohio -- Four different singles players went 2-0 while one doubles team was 3-0, leading the Allegheny men's tennis team to a combined record of 20-8 over the weekend at the Oberlin Invitational.

Alex Bonfiglio, Max Hennessy, Ben Hurtuk and Mike Provenzano claimed two singles wins apiece for the Gators. Max Sosa and Danny Jacobs were the unbeaten doubles team.

In Bonfiglio's case, he defeated Leonid Vladiminov of Tiffin, 8-0, and Ben Godlove of Oberlin, 6-4, 6-4. Meanwhile, Hennessy handled John Carroll's Michael Finissi, 8-4, and Oberlin's Joe Leffler, 8-0.

Hurtuk won his matches over Michael Hulseman of John Carroll, 8-0, and Sam Towne of Oberlin, 8-4, while Provenzano was victorious against Matt Lachman of Baldwin-Wallace, 8-2, and John Carroll's Chad Ruehs, 8-3.

Sosa, Jacobs, Evan Gordon and Uros Predic also won singles matches at the tournament. Sosa defeated Oberlin's James Blankenship, 8-1; Jacobs beat Oberlin's Peder Davis, 8-5; Gordon handled John Carroll's Peter Nemes, 8-2; and Predic won over Sam Burris of Baldwin-Wallace, 8-2.

Sosa and Jacobs played a pair of John Carroll duos and one from Baldwin-Wallace to enjoy their perfect weekend as a doubles team. They claimed an 8-1 win over Bill Fitzgerald and Patrick Levandowski of John Carroll, an 8-5 victory over Andrew Orens and Justin Levin of Baldwin-Wallace and an 8-2 win over Phillip Varela and Edward Zalar of John Carroll.

Two other Gator teams had two victories over the weekend: the Hurtuk-Hennessy partnership and the Bonfiglio-Gordon duo. Hurtuk and Hennessy defeated Alex Trzeciak and Taylor Long of Baldwin-Wallace, 8-5, and Vladiminov and Santiago Revelo of Tiffin, 8-6. Meanwhile, Bonfiglio and Gordon handled Blankenship and Towne of Oberlin, 8-0, and Michael Hulseman and Ross Venzke of John Carroll, 8-5.

Provenzano and Predic had one doubles victory. They teamed for an 8-3 win against Trzeciak and Long.

The Gator men (3-1) will be in action next on Tuesday when they host Division I opponent Robert Morris. The match will begin at 4 p.m.

"Alex, You're driving him crazy!"


"Nice put away Sosa!"

Men's Tennis Down Grove City, 6-3

9/24/2009 10:35:53 PM

Boxscore

GROVE CITY, Pa. -- Uros Predic and Evan Gordon won their respective singles matches in three sets, helping the Allegheny men's tennis team hold off Grove City in a 6-3 victory on Thursday.

Predic came from behind to win the second singles match over Peter Davis, 4-6, 6-4, 6-1, while Gordon claimed the fifth singles match against Caleb Fuller, 6-2, 3-6, 6-3.

Mike Provenzano won at third singles for the Gators, defeating Bill Derocha, 6-2, 6-1, and Max Hennessy scored a point at fourth singles over Shaun Mills, 6-1, 6-1.

Allegheny claimed two doubles victories on the second and third tier. Gordon and Jonathan Jordan won the second singles versus Mills and Derocha, 8-5. At third doubles, Predic and Provenzano were 8-2 winners over Fuller and Anthony Rosselli.

The Gators (3-1) will be in action this weekend at the Oberlin Invitational on Saturday and Sunday.

Women's Tennis Take Down Grove City, 7-2

9/24/2009 10:14:23 PM

Boxscore

GROVE CITY, Pa. -- The Allegheny women's tennis team won five singles matches en route to a 7-2 win over Grove City in non-conference action on Thursday.

Lauren Kristofco, Elyse Schmitt, Sara Longo, Alyssa Tom and Janna Dickerson were singles winners for the Gators.

Kristofco claimed her victory in first singles, defeating Natalie Walten, 6-1, 6-2, while Schmitt won the second singles match over Megan Bennett, 6-3, 6-3.

Also, Longo, Tom and Dickerson claimed wins at third, fourth and sixth singles, respectively. Longo handled Stacy Moon, 6-1, 6-0; Tom defeated Kimberly Peterson, 6-1, 6-3; and Dickerson downed Christina Bedi, 6-2, 7-6 (7-2).

The Gators added two points in doubles action. At second doubles, Schmitt and Deborah Landau teamed up for an 8-5 win over Peterson and Lisa Baldwin, while in third doubles, Tom and Dickerson beat Walten and Reena Barnett, 8-5.

Allegheny (2-2) will be in action next on Tuesday, Sept. 29, when it hosts Division I foe Robert Morris. The match will begin at 4 p.m.

Women Compete at 2nd Annual Oberlin Invitational

The women's tennis team competed at the 2nd Annual Oberlin Invitational, September 18 - 20. The tournament allowed the players to play three singles and three doubles matches. Highlights included Janna Dickerson's three wins in singles play, Meggie Oravec's two singles wins, Deb Landau and Elyse Schmitt's two doubles wins, and Sara Longo's singles win over Denison.

After Saturday's action, the team ate dinner in nearby Vermilion and watched the sun set on Lake Erie.

Below is a video clip of Sara Longo winning her singles match against Denison's Alex Marcell.

Men Compete in Doubles Tourney at Div. I Niagara

The men competed in a tough doubles tournament at Niagara University Sept. 19-20 with some Div. I and Div. III schools. During the trip the team spent some time across the border at Niagara Falls in Canada and got a free trip on the Maid of the Mist. See below for video clips and pictures from the trip with everything from tennis action to team push ups at Niagara Falls.

Maid of the Mist Boat Tour

Ben Hurtuk finishing a Max Hennessy serve.

Doing a "team 15" at Niagara Falls.

Jake Allmaras and Uros Predic with quick hands at net.

Rainbow over the falls.

The team decides to let all the tourists know who we are.

Jake Allmaras not distracted by "the grunt"

Evan Gordon takes on a street juggler

Gators claim another win over Mercyhurst

9/15/2009 9:45:17 PM

Boxscore

MEADVILLE, Pa. -- The Allegheny men's tennis team claimed its second win in four days over Division II foe Mercyhurst, scoring a 6-3 decision at the Robertson Complex on Tuesday.

Mike Provenzano, Max Hennessy, Evan Gordon and Ben Hurtuk were singles winners for the Gators (2-1). Provenzano earned his win at third singles, defeating Adam Marnik, 7-5, 6-0, while Hennessy was victorious over Juan Franco, 6-3, 6-2, at fourth singles.

Also, Gordon handled Justin Tompkins at fifth singles, 6-3, 6-0, and Hurtuk won the sixth singles match against Mark Fuhry, 6-0, 6-1.

Allegheny won two of the three doubles matches. Hurtuk and Uros Predic teamed for an 8-3 win over Tompkins and Kyle King at second doubles while Gordon and Jonathan Jordan bested Franco and Marcus Zehnder at third singles, 8-3.

For Mercyhurst (1-3), King and Ron Heurich were singles winners and then duo of Heurich and Marnik claimed a doubles point.

The Gators will be in action next this weekend when they take part in the Niagara University Invitational on Saturday and Sunday.

AC women's tennis tripped up by Mercyhurst

9/15/2009 9:53:18 PM

Boxscore

MEADVILLE, Pa. -- The Allegheny women's tennis team suffered a 7-2 setback at the hands of Division II opponent Mercyhurst on Tuesday at the Robertson Complex.

Janna Dickerson scored the lone singles point for the Gators (1-2) while Deborah Landau and Elyse Schmitt earned a doubles victory.

Dickerson defeated Courtney Conway at sixth singles, 5-7, 6-2, 6-1, while Landau and Schmitt claimed an 8-5 decision over Samantha Zimmerman and McKenzie Cona in second doubles.

Singles winners for Mercyhurst included Cona, Kim Ezzo, Meghan Raynor, Jenna Raynor and Kelton Macke. Ezzo and Meghan Raynor teamed to win one doubles point while Macke and Jenna Raynor scored another.

The Gators will return to action this weekend when they take part in the Oberlin Invitational. The tournament will be Friday through Sunday.

Gator women's tennis opens season with runner-up finish at Heath Invite

Allegheny-St. Vincent boxscore

Allegheny-Case Western boxscore

MEADVILLE, Pa. -- The Allegheny women's tennis team defeated St. Vincent, 9-0, but then lost to Case Western, 5-4, to finish runner-up at the Nancy J. Heath Invitational at the Robertson Complex on Saturday.

Alyssa Tom, Deborah Landau and Janna Dickerson won two matches each at fourth, fifth and sixth singles, respectively, during the day.

Against St. Vincent, Tom defeated Rebecca Cenkner, 6-1, 6-1, while Landau was victorious against Nicole Peer, 6-3, 2-3 (ret.). Dickerson won her match over Megan Mahoney, 6-0, 6-0.

Lauren Kristofco, Elyse Schmitt and Sara Longo were also singles winners for the Gators (1-1). Kristofco won at first singles against Alexis Cup, 6-3, 6-0. At second singles, Schmitt handled Emily Morris, 6-2, 6-4, while at third singles, Longo bested Allie Botti, 6-3, 6-0.

In doubles competition, Kristofco and Longo renewed their partnership with an 8-0 first doubles win over Cup and Morris. Landau and Schmitt teamed for an 8-6 victory against Cenkner and Brittany Vignero at second doubles and Dickerson and Tamara Prairie defeated Peer and Jessica Paruch, 8-2, in third doubles.

In the loss to Case Western, Tom earned her win over Kathleen Evers, 6-3, 6-1. Landau defeated Cheyenne Chambers, 6-3, 6-4, and Dickerson was victorious against Corey Bowen, 6-4, 6-4.

Dickerson and Prairie earned the lone doubles point and improved their record to 2-0 with an 8-4 win over Bowen and Claudia Nieuwoudt.

In other matches on Saturday, Case Western won its semifinal match over Mercyhurst, 5-4. Mercyhurst then defeated St. Vincent in the tournament consolation match, 9-0.

Allegheny will play its next match on Tuesday when it hosts Mercyhurst at 4 p.m.

Gators open season at Heath Invitational, earn split

Allegheny-Carnegie Mellon boxscore

Allegheny-Mercyhurst boxscore

MEADVILLE, Pa. -- The Allegheny men's tennis team struggles in its first match of the season, falling to Carnegie Mellon, 9-0, but then rebounded for a 7-2 consolation win over Mercyhurst on Saturday at the Heath Invitational.

Singles winners against Mercyhurst included Alex Bonfiglio and Uros Predic at first and second singles, respectively. Bonfiglio defeated Mijo Cotic, 6-2, 6-4, while Predic handled Ron Heurich, 6-3, 4-6, 10-8.

Also for the Gators, Max Hennessy won the fifth singles match against Juan Franco, 6-2, 6-3, and Jonathan Jordan defeated Justin Tompkins, 6-1, 6-4, in sixth singles.

Allegheny swept doubles competition. Hennessy and Jacob Allmaras won on the first tier over Cotic and Adam Marnik, 9-8 (7-4). In second doubles, Predic and Ben Hurtuk teamed for an 8-6 win against Heurich and Kyle King, while, at third doubles, Jordan and Evan Gordon defeated Tompkins and Franco, 8-2.

In other matches on Saturday, Case Western advanced to the final with a 8-1 win over Mercyhurst. Carnegie Mellon won the final over Case Western, 8-1.

The Gators (1-1) will return to action on Tuesday. They will take on Mercyhurst again at 4 p.m.

2009 Fall Tennis Team Retreat

Nice Moves Coach!

Land Ho!!!

The men’s and women’s tennis team met at Woodcock Lake State Park on Saturday, September 5 to participate in the annual team retreat.

The fall retreat is a team bonding experience that grows and fosters relationships between new players, returning players, and coaches.

This year’s activities started with an hour of team building exercises facilitated by Alycia Mccullough of the ACCEL office (Allegheny College Center for Experiential Learning). These exercises focused on team bonding by taking players and coaches out of their comfort zones and interacting in a way that was unconventional but fun. Each activity focused on team pillars such as leadership, communication, and trust.

The players discussed their yearly goals, talked about off season work out plans, and played a trivia game that encompassed all things tennis. The day concluded with some good food and fun games led by our captains.