FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Mark Albanese, Assistant Sports Information Director, 630-637-5302
Results
OBERLIN, Ohio (May 28, 2010)-- Making the program's first ever appearance at the NCAA Division III Men's Tennis Championships, North Central College's
Sam Sweeney did not disappoint, opening with a straight sets victory over Washington & Lee University's (Va.) Hayden White before falling to Andy Peters of the National Champion Middlebury College (Vt.) Panthers in the round of 16 at Oberlin College's Don Hunsinger Courts.
Sweeney opened the day against Washington & Lee's Hayden White, taking down the Atlantic South Region's fifth-ranked player in straight sets, 6-3, 6-4. The junior, ranked third in the Central Region, led 2-1 and 3-2 early in the opening set before capturing two straight games and three of four to finish off the set victorious. Sweeney and White (23-11) traded wins through the first five games of the second set before Sweeney rattled off three straight to take the 5-3 lead and send the Generals' No. 1 man on the brink of elimination. White closed the gap to 5-4 but was unable to do any more damage as Sweeney captured the sets final game to advance to the round of 16.
Sweeney ended up on the other side of a straight sets decision against Middlebury's Andy Peters in the afternoon, falling, 6-2, 6-3, to the Northeast Region's top ranked singles player.
Peters (21-6) won the opening set, winning four straight games after the two players traded victories in the first four games of the match. Sweeney would strike first in the second set, tallying two games before Peters came storming back, capturing the next four games to take the lead. Sweeney cut the deficit to just one at 4-3 before the Panther's No. 1 man netted the final two games to secure the match and bounce Sweeney from the single-elimination tournament.
It was a banner season for Sweeney (19-4), winning the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin title at No. 1 singles and doubles for the second straight season, while also earning First Team All-CCIW, CCIW Player of the Year and Intercollegiate Tennis Association Central Region Player to Watch accolades.
The Cardinals closed out the 2010 season with a 7-15 overall record and a 2-3 mark in CCIW action before placing fourth at the CCIW Tournament, North Central's highest finish this decade.
