April 22, 2006

'Sweet Sixteen' for Grove City

ERIE, Pa. -- The Grove City College men's tennis captured its 16th straight Presidents' Athletic Conference title Saturday afternoon at the Pennbriar Athletic Club in Erie. Grove City accumulated 50 team points over the two-day event, securing the title. Thiel took second with 30 points, followed by Waynesburg (20), Thomas More (14), Washington and Jefferson (11), Bethany (5) and Westminster (5).

Grove City captured eight of the nine possible championships. Five Grove City players earned multiple PAC titles. Freshman John Moyer (Pittsburgh, Pa./Shady Side Academy) won the PAC title at second singles with a 6-1, 6-0 win in the finals over Thiel's Keith Williams. Moyer advanced to the finals Friday with a 6-2, 6-0 semifinal win over W&J's Jeff Tomaino.

Moyer and senior Brent Moon (Lima, Ohio/Shawnee) won the first doubles title with an 8-4 win over Waynesburg's Matt Otis and Bryan McAnulty. Moon and Moyer beat Thiel's Williams-Keith Gowday in Friday's semis, 8-3.

Sophomore Chris Baker (Bethlehem, Pa./Erie McDowell) won the third singles crown with a 7-6, 6-3 victory over Thiel's Geno Bianco Saturday. In the semifinals, Baker topped Bethany's Brian Cerullo, 6-1, 6-2. Baker and senior Sam Fortna (Annville, Pa./Annville-Cleona) also won the PAC's second doubles title Saturday by posting an 8-1 win over Waynesburg's Joe Koch and Kevin Houseknecht, the top seed in the draw.

Baker and Fortna opened play Friday with an 8-1 quarterfinal-round win over Washington and Jefferson's Sheelen Patel and Matt Riddle. In the semis, the Baker-Fortna team beat Bianco and Tyler Ochs, 8-3.

Grove City freshman Jeremy Dwyer (Duncansville, Pa./Hollidaysburg) downed Houseknecht in the fourth singles finals, 6-3, 6-2. Dwyer advanced to the title match with a 6-2, 6-0 victory over Westminster's Gene Cunningham in the semifinals Friday.

Fortna won the fifth singles title with a 6-2, 6-2 win over Thiel's Zachary Richards in the championship round. Fortna reached the finals on Friday by topping Westminster's Stefan Hadricky, 6-2 and 6-1.

At sixth singles, freshman Kyle Johnson (Arlington Heights, Ill./St. Viatos) earned a 6-2, 6-2 win over Thomas More's Al Minor in the finals Saturday. Johnson reached the finals Friday with a 6-1, 6-1 victory against Waynesburg's Dustin Cozad.

Dwyer and Johnson wrapped up Grove City's eighth title of the weekend at third doubles with an 8-3 win over Thiel's Mark Coney and Blake Betteridge in the finals. Dwyer and Johnson progressed to the final round with an 8-1 win over Bethany's David Hayes and Robert Lowe.

Grove City head coach Joe Walters earned the conference's Coach of the Year award after leading Grove City to an 8-2 overall record, including a 6-0 mark against PAC opposition. Washington and Jefferson's Gary Tan earned PAC Player of the Year honors.

Grove City will wrap up the 2006 season Tuesday against Slippery Rock in non-conference action.

Go back to Wolverine Tennis Home Page