Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
ECAC Tournament
Bucknell Men's Tennis Competes at ECAC Championship
9/23/2002 8:00:00 AM | Men's Tennis
Sept. 22, 2002
MERCER COUNTY, N.J. - The Bucknell men's tennis squad was in competition at the ECAC Championship Tournament, held at Mercer County, N.J., on Saturday-Sunday, September 21-22. The Bison turned in some solid individual performances, leading to a second place finish of the 11 teams in the competition.
The doubles tandem of sophomore Gerald DiChiara and freshman Asher Salam led the way for the Orange and Blue, going 3-0 on the weekend to claim gold at the only doubles spot. The duo started the weekend with a 6-1, 3-6, 6-3 win over Ryan Collins and John Zazza of Lafayette, before defeating Lehigh's John Swanson and Andrew Shapiro, 7-5, 6-3. DiChiara and Salam went on to win 6-0, 6-4 against the doubles team of Tom Pham and Isaac Montes of Concordia in the finals match.
In singles action, sophomore Nick Denefrio continued his run, playing his way to the finals with wins over the number one seed at Flight B Blasher Chowdhard of Concordia, 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, and third seed Ryan Caan of Lehigh, 5-7, 7-5, 7-6 (7-4). Denefrio claimed silver at the tournament after falling to Lafayette's Brett Warren, 6-0, 6-0, in the championship match.
Also competing were senior Todd Jacobs, and sophomores Joe Menezes and Leland Tien. Jacobs advanced to the semi-finals of Flight C with victories over Nick Bowers of Loyola, 6-0, 6-3, and Dave Kurvink of Moravian, 6-3, 6-2. The captain then dropped a 6-2, 7-6 (7-4) decision to H'Cone Thompson of Lafayette in the semi-final round.
Menezes opened play with a 6-0, 6-0 shutout over Dowling's Mike Feraro, before losing 4-6, 6-4, 6-4 to Dan Seward of Lafayette in the Flight D singles. Tien, playing at Flight A, defeated Bobby Cappelli of St. Joseph's, 6-0, 6-0, in the opening round, and then dropped a 6-4, 6-2 decision to top-seeded Matt Coin of Lafayette.
Bucknell is in action next on September 28 in dual meet action at Duquesne at 2:00 p.m.
Results
Singles Action:
"A" Leland Tien (Bucknell) def. Bobby Cappelli (St. Joseph's) - 6-0, 6-0.
Matt Coin (Lafayette) def. Tien - 6-4, 6-2.
"B" Nick Denefrio (Bucknell) def. Blasher Chowdhard (Concordia) - 6-3, 3-6, 6-3.
Denefrio def. Ryan Caan (Lehigh) - 5-7, 7-5, 7-6 (7-4).
Brett Warren (Lafayette) def. Denefrio - 6-0, 6-0.
"C" Todd Jacobs (Bucknell) def. Nick Bowers (Loyola) - 6-0, 6-3.
Jacobs def. Dave Kurvink (Moravian) - 6-3, 6-2.
H'Cone Thompson (Lafayette) def. Jacobs - 6-2, 7-6 (7-4).
"D" Joe Menezes (Bucknell) def. Mike Feraro (Dowling) - 6-0, 6-0.
Dan Seward (Lafayette) def. Menezes - 4-6, 6-4, 6-4.
Doubles Action:
"A" Gerald DiChiara/Asher Salam (Bucknell) def. Ryan Collins/John Zazza (Lafayette) - 6-1, 3-6, 6-3.
DiChiara/Salam def. John Swanson/Andrew Shapiro (Lehigh) - 7-5, 6-3.
DiChiara/Salam def. Tom Pham/Isaac Montes (Concordia) - 6-0, 6-4.
