Men Have Great Showing at ITA!

The six starters on the men's team had the privilege of competing in their first ITA Regional Championships. To add to the excitement, it was held on the same courts where legends like Andre Agassi, Pete Sampras, Rod Laver, Jimmy Connors, Arthur Ashe and John McEnroe played while competing in the USTA National Championships--a 67 year old staple of tennis tradition. The boys were honored to be playing at such an historic site, but they didn't let it intimidate them as they had one of the best showings in the history of Allegheny Tennis. See the pics and videos below. To learn more about the history and tradition of the courts at Kalamazoo, click here http://ustaboys.com/tournament_history.html

The boys are all studying while waiting for their next match. This is what Div. III tennis is all about.

Here are the Kalamazoo courts, home of the USTA National Championships.

Max Hennessy gets ready to unload on a serve while playing on one of the feature courts at Stowe Stadium.

Pat Cole and Jonathan Jordan made it all the way to the finals of the Kalamazoo Doubles Tournament!

Uros hits his famous down the line forehand passing shot.

JJ and P-Cole demonstrate their quick hands that took them all the way to the finals.

Max Hennessy slams the ball out of the facility thanks to Uros Predic's perfectly placed serve.

Women's Tennis Blanks Blue Devils

9/24/2010

Box Score

MEADVILLE, Pa. – Friday night saw the best performance of the Allegheny women’s tennis team as they handed the visiting Blue Devils of Fredonia State a clean sweep 9-0 at the Robertson Tennis Complex. Each match was dominated by the Gators and the team match was already decided after Sara Longo (no. 1) and Deb Landau (no. 2) finished their matches in succession and posting identical results (6-0, 6-1).

The only hiccup of the night came in Flight three as Elyse Schmitt dropped the first set 3-6, but rallied in the second set winning 6-0 and forcing the 10-point super-break in lieu of a third set. Schmitt sealed the win, 10-3, in the super-break. This is the first time this season that either tennis program has pulled off a clean sweep of an opponent.

The women head to Moon Township, Pa. October 5th to conclude their fall season as they will take on Division I, Robert Morris University.

Doubles Sweep Propels Gators to Win Over John Carroll

9/21/2010

Box Score

MEADVILLE, Pa. – The Gators (2-3) jumped out to a 3-0 advantage over non-conference foe John Carroll on Tuesday night, as the women’s tennis team ran through doubles action only losing a combined nine games through the three doubles matches. The doubles sweep gave the Gators a sizable advantage heading into singles play.

Deb Landau made quick work of her opponent in no.3 singles winning 6-1, 6-0 putting the Gators within one win of clinching the team match. Sara Longo battled in her match but fell short in the second flight losing 6-4, 6-3. The clinching singles victory for the Gators came in no. 5 singles as Margaret Hodgkiss-Lilly won her match 6-4, 6-2. With the team match already decided, the Gators picked up one more singles win as Elyse Schmitt had to use a tie-breaker in the second set to earn the win, 6-4, 7-6 (7-3).

The Gators will play host to Fredonia State on Friday, September 24th at the Robertson Tennis Complex starting at 4:30 pm.

Elyse Schmitt finishes point at the net.

Allegheny Men Post Consecutive 8-1 Victories

9/21/2010

Box Score
MEADVILLE, Pa. – After dropping the first match of the night, no.1 doubles, the Gators (4-1) went on a tear as they won the final eight matches and cruised to an 8-1 team win. The 8-1 team score is the second time in as many dual matches that the Gators have handled their opponent. The Gators first 8-1 output came last Tuesday at home as they dominated Division II Mercyhurst.

The dominant performance for the Gators against John Carroll was most evident in singles play. As a team, through six singles matches, the Gators collectively dropped only 11 games and posted seven 6-0 game wins. Uros Predic and Jonathon Jordan turned in perfect score sheets as each notched 6-0 wins in both sets. The tandem of Jordan and Patrick Cole turned in the dominating doubles performance going unscathed in no.3 doubles 8-0.

The men head out of town looking to remain sharp as they will participate in the ITA Tournament held in Kalamazoo, Mich. starting this Thursday.

Jonathan Jordan hits an ace and continues undefeated ways in singles.

Oberlin Invitational – Day Two

9/18/2010

OBERLIN, Ohio – Carolyn Shetter and Kathleen McBride highlighted day two of the Oberlin Invitational for the women’s tennis team as they picked up singles victories to keep them undefeated through the first two days of the invitational. Both Shetter and McBride won their singles matched in straight sets.

Shetter kept her singles momentum with her into doubles action as she and her doubles partner Sara Longo dominated the paring of Jane Lent and Sarah Short of NCAC foe Denison 8-0. Margaret Hodgkiss-Lilly and Deb Landau matched Shetter and Longo picking up the only other doubles win on the day beating Kate Westenberger and Lilianna Broussalian of Denison 8-3.

Singles

Amanda Polster (KEN) def. Sara Longo (ALL) 4-6, 6-4, 6-2

Carolyn Shetter (ALL) def. Kara Richardson (CW) 6-3, 6-3

Kathleen Evers (KEN) def. Cortney O’Brien (ALL) 6-3, 6-1

Bianca Patel (CW) def. Margaret Hodgkiss-Lilly (ALL) 6-4, 6-2

Preeya Shah (OB) def. Deb Landau (ALL) 2-6, 6-3, 7-6(9-7)

Kathleen McBride (ALL) def. Taylor Cooper (TIFF) 6-3, 6-2

Katy Marshall (BW) def. Amy Ochsenreiter (ALL) 6-2, 6-1

Emily Kiourtsis (OWU) def. Elyse Scmitt (ALL) 6-2, 6-2

Doubles

Melaika Bora Messi/Emily Egan-Moriis (TIFF) def. Carolyn Shetter/Sara Longo (ALL) 8-3

Carolyn Shetter/Sara Longo (ALL) def. Jane Lent/Sarah Short (DEN) 8-0

Elizabeth Emhardt/Caroline Margraf (DEN) def. Margaret Hodgkiss-Lilly/Deb Landau (ALL) 8-5

Margaret Hodgkiss-Lilly/Deb Landau (ALL) def. Kate Westenberger/Lilianna Broussalian (DEN) 8-3

Becky Simon/Wodenshek (OWU) def. Cortney O'Brien/Amy Ochsenreiter (ALL) 8-6

Kristi Gales/Kelsi Wurm (ONU) def. Cortney O'Brien/Amy Ochsenreiter (ALL) 8-2

Emily Pelosi/Jenny Greene (BW) def. Elyse Schmitt/ Kathleen McBride (ALL) 8-6

Kathleen Evers/Theresa Smetona (CW) def. Elyse Schmitt/Kathleen McBride (ALL) 9-7

Kathleen McBride wins a point at the net.

Women's Tennis Sweep Singles in Oberlin Invitational

9/18/2010

Oberlin, Oh. – The Allegheny women’s tennis team enjoyed a great day one to the Oberlin Invitational Friday night ending the opening day of competition unscathed in singles play. All eight of the singles matches ended in wins for the Gators. Cortney O’Brien, Amy Ochsenreiter, Margaret Hodgkiss-Lilly, and Sara Longo won in straight sets. Kathleen McBride had the comeback of the night rallying from being down 5-1 in the second set and forced a tiebreaker in that set to seal the win.

Longo, Shetter, Hodgkiss-Lilly, and Landau were undefeated in singles and doubles on the day. The woman’s tennis team is back in action on Saturday in day two of the Oberlin Invitational.

Singles

Carolyn Shetter (ALL) def. Lilianna Broussalian (DEN) 4-6, 6-1, 6-0

Cortney O'Brien (ALL) def. Morgan Baker (BW) 6-1, 6-0

Amy Ochsenreiter (ALL) def. Jenny Provost (ONU) 6-4, 6-2

Margaret Hodgkiss-Lilly (ALL) def. Kathleen Evers (Case Western) 6-4, 6-1

Elyse Schmitt (ALL) def. Lauren Rife (ONU) 6-2, 4-6, 6-1

Sara Longo (ALL) def. Preeya Shah (OB) 6-4, 6-3

Deb Landau (ALL) def. Emily Pelosi (BW) 4-6, 6-3, 7-5

Kathleen McBride (ALL) def. Julie Christensen (OB) 7-5, 7-6 (7-5)

Doubles

Margaret Hodgkiss-Lilly/Deb Landau (ALL) def. Emily Kiourtsis/Pam Quigney (OWU) 9-8 (8-6)

Christie Gales/Kelsi Wurm (ONU) def. Elyse Schmitt/ Amy Ochsenreiter (ALL) 9-7

Kathleen Evers/Bianca Patel (Case Western) def. Kathleen McBride/ Cortney O'Brien (ALL) 8-0

Sara Longo/Carolyn Shetter (ALL) def. Kate Westenberger/Lilianna Broussalian (DEN) 8-2

Carolyn Shetter with a nice fist pump!

Gators Roll Lakers

9/14/2010
MEADVILLE, Pa. – The Allegheny Men’s tennis team took to the lights and picked up an impressive win over Division-II Mercyhurst College on Tuesday. The lone blemish on the evening for the Gators came in a loss in no. 1 doubles as the Gators nearly pulled off the sweep winning the dual match 8-1.

The wins did not come easy for the Gators as a couple of players were down in their singles matches before making incredible comebacks to secure the wins. No. 1 singles competitor Alex Bonfiglio dropped the first set 3-6 then found himself down 9-5 in a 10-point tiebreaker, and then proceeded to rattle off six straight points for the 11-9 victory. Pat Cole came back from a 7-2 disadvantage in a 10-point tiebreaker but rallied for eight straight points to win the match in the fourth flight. Jonathon Jordan handled his match 6-1, 6-1 to remain undefeated in the fall for the Gators competition in flight six.

Alex Bonfiglio puts an overhead away.

Allegheny Challenges D-II IUP in Championship Match

MEADVILLE, Pa. – The Gators blew past their opening round opponent NAIA representative Walsh University, 8-1 on Saturday to advance to the championship match of the 7th Annual Nancy J. Heath Gator Invitational. The Gators only dropped one matchup as Walsh’s Allison St. George knocked off Elyse Schmitt (3-6, 6-2, 10-8) in No. 3 singles. The lone blemish in round one set up a meeting with D-II Indiana University of Pennsylvania, who was regionally ranked 8th at the end of year last spring in the Atlantic Region.

The Crimson Hawks held strong in singles competition suffering one defeat as Deb Landau defeated IUP’s Ranvita Mahto (6-4, 6-3). The brightest spot of the tournament came in doubles action as the Gators No.1 doubles duo of Carolyn Shetter and Sara Longo bested the No. 1 pairing of Katie Eaton and Ranvita Mahto (8-6). IUP worked around the two defeats to earn the team victory over the Gators (7-2) and take the tournament championship in the process.

Gators Reach Championship; No. 8 Carnegie Mellon Takes Crown

9/11/2010

MEADVILLE, Pa. – The Robertson Tennis Complex played host to the 7th Annual Nancy J. Heath Gator Invitational on Saturday. The Gators pushed passed NAIA competitor Walsh University in the first match of the tournament 6-3. After losing the No.1 singles match, the Gators rallied to sweep the No. 2-6 singles matches and picked up a No.2 doubles win to secure the team win and advance them to the championship match against No. 8 Carnegie Mellon.

The Tartans garnered the national ranking from a year ago and proved to be too much for the Gators in the championship match taking the team win 7-2. The Gators were able to salvage the singles matchups picking up a win in the No. 6 singles as Jonathan Jordan took down Mason Radford (6-2, 6-4). The Blue and Gold were also able to avoid a sweep in doubles action as the duo of Max Hennessy and Uros Predic knocked off the Tartans No.1 doubles team of McTaggart and Alex Nemerov. Nemerov, ended last spring ranked 31st as a singles competitor in Division III.

Coach Luteran's Blue Team took Gold in Annual Blue/Gold Scrimmage

Where's the flood Coach Riskie?

The Allegheny Tennis Blue/Gold Scrimmage is an annual inter-squad scrimmage. Coach Luteran led his Blue team over Coach Riskie's Gold team with an 11-9 decision. The losing Coach has to wear a ridiculous outfit at the very next practice and this year's outfit did not disappoint the ridiculous meter.

Allegheny Upends Grove City, 8-1

9/8/2010
MEADVILLE, Pa. – Despite conceding the top singles spot, the Gators opened the 2010 campaign with a tremendous victory by dispatching reigning Presidents Athletic Conference champion, Grove City College, 8-1, on Wednesday at Robertson Athletic Complex. Allegheny jumped out to a 3-0 lead after sweeping doubles and cruised to its third straight victory over the regionally-strong Wolverines. Max Hennessy, Uros Predic, Jake Allamaras, and Jonathan Jordan secured victories in both singles and doubles on the day.

Annual Fall Team Retreat

Freshman Ryan Pearson does a pro tennis player impression.

The women's team discusses the upcoming season.

The men's team talks about their goals.

The Annual Fall Team Retreat is a team building experience that focuses on creating team unity. Captains, players, and coaches participate in team building activities that help create team chemistry amongst new and returning players. Team policies and goal setting are also covered during the retreat. This year's retreat started in the Campus Center, then moved to Coach Luteran's house for dinner and a wrap up.

Team Does Fun Run at Woodcock Dam

With slick conditions on the tennis courts this past Saturday morning, the team strapped on their running shoes and completed a timed mile at nearby Woodcock Dam. Afterward, they enjoyed a nice breakfast at The Artist's Cup in downtown Meadville.