OBERLIN, Ohio – The Baldwin Wallace University men's tennis team competed in the first of two fall tournaments this past weekend at the two-day Oberlin Invitational on the Don Hunsinger Tennis Courts.

 

In singles play, BW (1-0) was led by sophomore Intercollegiate Tennis Association Scholar Athlete Jake Elbin (Findlay), who posted a 3-0 record over the two-day tournament. The sophomore won his first match over Cody Hurley from Ohio Norther University with a 6-1, 6-2 straight-set victory. His next match proved to be his toughest test playing Adi Jha from John Carroll University but prevailed despite losing the first set 6-2 and took the final two sets by scores of 7-6(3) and 10-0. Playing another ONU opponent in his third match, Elbin defeated Tyler Frantz in straight sets 7-5, 6-4.

 

Junior All-Ohio Athletic Conference, Academic All-OAC and ITA Scholar Athletes Dominic Polifrone (Hudson) and Matt Harris (Akron/Revere) and freshman Michael Benotti (Pittsford, N.Y./Pittsford Mendon) each recorded two victories in singles play.

 

After a tough loss to John Purnode of Denison University in the first match, Harris bounced back and was leading Hurley from ONU 6-1, 1-0 before his opponent retired. In his final singles match, the junior beat Patrick Hudnut from Kenyon College 6-4, 6-3 in straight sets.

 

Benotti matched up with Doug Moore from John Carroll in the first round and dropped the first set 6-3 before bouncing back to hold a 5-2 lead in the second set before Moore had to retire. The freshman's second win came against Parker Holyn, also from JCU, winning by set scores of 6-3, 6-3.

 

In the two singles matches he won, Polifrone defeated Daniel Nwaozuzu of John Carroll 6-3, 6-0 and Luis Platas from Kenyon 6-2, 2-6, 10-8.

 

Junior ITA Scholar Athlete Roger Boyer (Medina/Brunswick) was the only other Yellow Jacket to record a victory in the singles draw, defeating Saeed Husain from the College of Wooster. Boyer lost a quick first set 6-1 but recovered momentum to win the second set 7-4 in the tiebreak and won the 10-point tiebreaker third set 10-7.

 

In doubles play, the pairings of Polifrone and Harris and Elbin and senior Alex Papke (Federal Way, Wash/Thomas Jefferson) each won two matches. Polifrone and Harris won both their matches in tiebreaks, beating Tyler Cole and Andrew Siciliano from John Carroll 9-8 (7-2) and Hoang Do and Vinh Thai from Ohio Northern 9-8 (8-6). Both of Elbin and Papke's wins came over Ohio Northern teams, defeating Tyler Frantz and Drew Sarno 8-4 and Andrew Garcia and Tim Kargl 8-3.

 

Boyer and junior Ben Binion (Shelby) recorded the only other Yellow Jacket win in doubles, beating Luke Borgelt and Saeed Husain from Wooster by a score of 8-2.

 

The Yellow Jackets will return back to Berea on Thursday, Sept. 21, when they host Grove City (Pa.) College at 3:30 p.m. on the Pop Collins Tennis Courts.