Michigan State University
Big Ten Indoors
Spartans Complete Day One At The Big Ten Singles Championships
11/16/2002 12:00:00 AM | Men's Tennis
Nov. 16, 2002
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. - Michigan State's top two leaders in singles wins last season continued their dominating performance in opening round action of the Big Ten Singles Championships Saturday (Nov. 16). Sophomores Cameron Marshall (Louisville, Ky.) and Andrew Formanczyk (Rochester Hills, Mich.) each won two matches to reach the Sweet Sixteen, but in different ways.
Marshall, who posted a team-best 25 wins during his freshman campaign, cruised past Minnesota's Nate McLain, 6-1, 6-4, in the first round of the bottom half of the draw. He then faced Wisconsin's Alex Kasarov, who is one of eight players seeded ninth, in the second round. The first set went according to plan as Kasarov gave up only one game. But Marshall gained momentum in the second set, winning 6-3, and eventually upset Kasarov, 1-6, 6-3, 6-3. He now leads MSU with eight singles wins this season. His third round match takes place Sunday (Oct. 17) at 11:30 a.m. local time against fourth seed Ryler Deheart of Illinois.
Formanczyk, seeded sixth and one of the favorites to come out of the top half of the main draw, also needed two sets in the first round to advance, defeating Wisconsin's Blake Baratz, 6-4, 6-3. He then dropped only five games in the second round, eliminating Indiana's Juliene Vulliez, 6-4, 6-1. Formanczyk will face ninth-seeded Chris Wettengel of Minnesota Sunday at 11 a.m. local time. The two met last season in the second round of the ITA Region IV tournament with Formanczyk defeating Wettengel, 6-0, 7-6(4).
Four Spartans fell in opening round matches in the main draw. In the top half, junior Chris Mitchell (Ann Arbor, Mich.), seeded ninth, was upset by Penn State's Mark Barry, 6-0, 6-3, while junior Eric Simonton (Annandale, N.J.) lost to eighth seed and No. 88 in the nation Chris Martin of Illinois, 6-4, 6-2. Meanwhile in the bottom half, senior Jimmy McGuire (Columbus, Ohio) fell to Michigan's Brett Baudinet, 7-6, 6-3, and senior Adam Hourani (Lansing, Mich.) lost to Ohio State's Brenton Contini, 6-4, 6-3.
In the 7-8 division draw, juniors Josh Efros (West Bloomfield, Mich.) and Mike Jonckheere (London, Ont.) fell in first round play.
All of the Spartans who fell in the main draw or the 7-8 division competed in their first-round matches of the consolation brackets late Saturday night. The tournament continues Sunday with two more rounds of action while semifinals and finals of the main draw take place Monday.
Day One Results From The Big Ten Singles ChampionshipsMain Draw First RoundMark Barry (PSU) def. Chris Mitchell (MSU) 6-0, 6-3Andrew Formanczyk (MSU) def. Blake Baratz (UW) 6-4, 6-3No. 88 Chris Martin (ILL) def. Eric Simonton (MSU) 6-4, 6-2Brett Baudinet (MICH) def. Jimmy McGuire (MSU) 7-6, 6-3Cameron Marshall (MSU) def. Nate McLain (MINN)6-1, 6-4Brenton Contini (OSU) def. Adam Hourani (MSU) 6-4, 6-3
Main Draw Second RoundAndrew Formanczyk (MSU) def. Juliene Vulliez (IU) 6-4, 6-1Cameron Marshall (MSU) def. Alex Kasarov (WIS) 1-6, 6-3, 6-3
7-8 Division First RoundJeremiah Fuller (UW) def. Josh Efros (MSU) 6-4, 4-7, 6-1Mark Weinig (UW) def. Mike Jonckheere (MSU) 6-3, 6-3
