FLUSHING MEADOWS, N.Y. – Playing at the USTA National Tennis Center, the site of the U.S. Open, Monmouth University's Victor Pugliese (Boulogne, France/CNED (San Diego)), Brant Switzler (Stockton, N.J./Hunterdon Central), and Freddy Marcinkowski (Sparta, N.J./Sparta) along with the rookie doubles team of Bee Kumthonkittikul (Bangkok, Thailand/Pendleton School) and Christian Vieria (Houston, Texas/Memorial) all reached the semifinals of their respective flights, at the USTA BJK NTC Men's College Invitational last weekend.
"This was a great experience for our team playing at the USTA National Tennis Center and on the same courts as the U.S. Open,” stated head coach Cory Hubbard. ”I was a little disappointed we came up short because I thought we had a real opportunity to win several flights. We have improved as a program, but we still have a long way to go so this should motivate us to work harder."
Pugliese, playing in A Flight, cruised past Fairfield's Ofir Soloman, 6-2, 6-1 before coming from behind to defeat Markus Shultz of NJIT, 4-6, 7-6, 11-9. In the semifinals, Bucknell's Nick Bybel bested the junior, 6-4, 6-4.
In the Flight D bracket, Switzler was victorious over Fordham's Max Peara, 7-5, 6-0, while Marcinkowski took out Brian Power of Sacred Heart, 6-4, 6-1 in the opening round. In the quarterfinals, Switzler held on for a 6-4, 3-6, 10-3 victory over NJIT's Nick Cameron, while Marcinkowski rolled to a 6-1, 6-0 win over Peter Colliard of Fairfield. The Hawks then ran into Kyle Childree and Matt Wagner, both from Boston College, who defeated the Switzler and Marcinkowski 6-2, 6-2, and 1-6, 6-2, 10-5, respectively.
Freshman Daniil Ginzburg (Moscow, Russia/Moscow PS #1384) also picked up an opening round victory in singles play, defeating Fordham's JJ Tauil 4-6, 7-5, 10-5, while Jason Prezant (Montvale, N.J./Pascack Hills) and Vieria combined for three consolation round victories.
In doubles play, Kumthonkittikul and Viera held off Ian Tesmond and Cameron Amyot of Saint Francis (Pa.), 8-5, and advanced to take on Saint Peter's Tom Jottrand and
Jorge Rodriguez, who they defeated 8-4. Fairfield's Dennis Zlobinsky and Soloman ended the duo's run, handing them a 8-2 loss in the semifinal round.
The teams of Jason Rothstein and Switzler and Marcinkowski and Pugliese both picked up victories in doubles play.
Monmouth returns to action this Friday, September 27th, at the Penn Invitational.
Tennis Tournament Results
USTA BJK NTC Men's College Invitational
Sept. 20-22, 2013 at Flushing, N.Y.
Singles competition
Pugliese, Victor (Monmouth) def. Solomon, Ofir (Fairfield) 6-2, 6-1
Pugliese, Victor (Monmouth) def. Schultz, Markus (NJIT) 4-6, 7-6, 11-9
Bybel, Nick (Bucknell) def. Pugliese, Victor (Monmouth) 6-4, 6-4
Whaley, Jake (Fairleigh Dickinson) def. Vieira, Christian (Monmouth) 6-1, 6-2
Vieira, Christian (Monmouth) def. Dean, Matt (Sacred Heart) 6-1, 7-6
Ginzburg, Daniil (Monmouth) def. Tauil, JJ (Fordham) 4-6, 7-5, 10-5
Ismail, Zeeshan (Youngstown St.) def. Ginzburg, Daniil (Monmouth) 2-6, 6-1, 10-3
Zlobinsky, Dennis (Fairfield) def. Ginzburg, Daniil (Monmouth) 6-2, 6-2
Switzler, Brant (Monmouth) def. Peara, Max (Fordham) 7-5, 6-0
Marcinkowski, Freddy (Monmouth) def. Power, Brian (Sacred Heart) 6-4, 6-1
Switzler, Brant (Monmouth) def. Cameron, Nicolas (NJIT) 6-4, 3-6, 10-3
Marcinkowski, Freddy (Monmouth) def. Colliard, Peter (Fairfield) 6-1, 6-0
Childree, Kyle (Boston College) def. Switzler, Brant (Monmouth) 6-2, 6-2
Wagner, Matt (Boston College) def. Marcinkowski, Freddy (Monmouth) 1-6, 6-2, 10-5
Avuski, Plamen (Saint Francis (Pa.)) def. Prezant, Jason (Monmouth) 6-2, 6-1
Prezant, Jason (Monmouth) def. Chung, James (Saint Peter's) 6-0, 6-0
Prezant, Jason (Monmouth) def. Rodriguez, Jorge (Saint Peter's) 6-2, 6-2
Doubles competition
Tesmond, Ian/Amyot, Cameron (Fairfield) def. Marcinkowski, Freddy/Pugliese, Victor (Monmouth) 8-6
Childree, Kyle/Workman, Hank (Boston College) def. Marcinkowski, Freddy/Pugliese, Victor (Monmouth) 8-5
Marcinkowski, Freddy/Pugliese, Victor (Monmouth) def. Bagi, Luka/Pagan, Justin (Sacred Heart) 8-3
Kumthonkittikul, Bee/Vieira, Christian (Monmouth) def. Cerdan, Eli/Korus, Kyle (Saint Francis (Pa.)) 8-5
Kumthonkittikul, Bee/Vieira, Christian (Monmouth) def. Jottrand, Tom/Rodriguez, Jorge (Saint Peter's) 8-4
Zlobinsky, Dennis/Solomon, Ofir (Fairfield) def. Kumthonkittikul, Bee/Pugliese, Victor (Monmouth) 8-2
Rothstein, Jason/Switzler, Brant (Monmouth) def. Colliard, Peter/Merinder, Bjorn (Fairfield) 8-3
Theorin, Victor/Schmerin, Max (Youngstown St.) def. Rothstein, Jason/Switzler, Brant (Monmouth) 8-5
