ITA Update

Hello from the deep South. Yesterday was the opening day of the ITA Small College Championships sponsored by USTA and Outback steak house in Mobile, AL. Yesterday was the play-in match between PNW and TX. The winner of these play-in matches advance to the final eight and are guaranteed 3 more matches.

Sophomore Matt Solomon opened the day with a tough 6-4, 6-4 loss to Trinity #1 Oliver Gaines. Hats off to the Gaines -- he played well and served incredibly well the entire match. In fact at one point he bombed in 14 straight serves (yes I was counting) never giving Matt a whiff to break serve. End the end Gaines had a bit too much experience and was able to close out the match. For reference last year Gaines played #1 for the 6th ranked Trinity team.

In doubles Matt and Etienne showed a lot of poise coming back from an early break in the first set. It is strange how momentum works in sports and I sometimes this is no more evident than in college doubles. After being down a break 3-2 in the first Matt and ET fought back and leveled the match at 4-4. At 4-4 ET served a great game overcoming 3 huge winners (two off of returns) by the Trinity team to hold for a 5-4 lead. At 5-4 ET and Matt played a solid return game and finally won the set on their 3rd set point. At this point the Trinity team got down on themselves and the Whitties races out to a 4-0 lead (winning 6 straight games). In that set Matt and ET were broke once but were able to take the second set 6-3.

This afternoon Matt and ET faces the #1 team from highly ranked Middlebury. Those that want to keep abreast of all the draws can do so at the official tournament webpage