This weekend at the Farnsworth Invitational, the Owls had to adjust to a new tournament format.
Instead of playing best-of-three sets, the third set was now replaced with a ten-point super tiebreaker. Due to the large 15-team tournament, the tiebreaker helped speed up matches and avoid any inclement weather.
“The guys performed well,” coach Steve Mauro said. “We hung in there with tough teams from Wisconsin and Princeton.”
Junior Vineet Naran experienced the super tiebreaker in the first round of the Pagoda Draw after splitting the first two sets against Lehigh University junior Tyler Hansen. Naran moved on with a 10-8 victory.
Naran split his two first sets again in the second round versus Bucknell University sophomore Max Kane and won the super tiebreaker, 10-6. Naran lost in the semifinals to Boston College’s Alexandre, 6-0 2-0.
“In my mind, the standout performer was Vineet Naran,” Mauro said. “He played real well. It was probably his best performance of the year. We worked on a couple things at practice and he was able to use that during the match.”
Junior Filip Stipcic lost 10-1 in a super tiebreaker in the first round of the Forbes Draw to Fairleigh Dickinson University sophomore Adam Chan.
Senior Nick Paulus lost in the first round of the Lenz draw to Army’s Florin Radu 6-1 6-4. Paulus then won in his consolation round 6-3, 6-3 before losing to Boston College sophomore Will Turner 6-3 7-6 (7-3).
Sophomore Stephen Ong advanced to the second round of the Pagoda Draw with a first round bye before losing to Boston College sophomore Kent Mukai 6-1, 6-3.
In total, seven Owls lost their first match of the tournament.
Shane McGinley can be reached at shane.mcginley@temple.edu.
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