April 18, 2008
Grove City sends nine to finals
ERIE, Pa. -- The Grove City College men's tennis team will be represented in each of the nine championship matches at the 2008 Presidents' Athletic Conference Championships at the Pennbriar Club. Grove City players went undefeated during the first day of action Friday at the PAC Championships. The Wolverines accumulated 36 team points and own a 12-point lead over second-place Waynesburg.
At first singles, junior John Moyer (Pittsburgh, Pa./Shady Side Academy) received a quarterfinal bye and then downed Westminster's Gene Cunningham in the semifinals, 6-1 and 6-0. Moyer will play Washington & Jefferson's Christopher Faulk for the title.
Sophomore Peter Davis (Indianapolis, Ind./Heritage Christian) earned a 6-3, 6-1 semifinal victory over W&J's Pat Kennedy at second singles. Davis, who had a bye in the quarterfinals, will play Waynesburg's Jeff Canning for the No. 2 singles crown Saturday.
After a quarterfinal bye at No. 3 singles, freshman Ricky Garrett (Rocky River, Ohio/Rocky River) advanced to the finals with a 6-2, 6-4 semifinal win against Waynesburg's Emile Khoury. Garrett will square off against Westminster's Fred Romeo for the title.
Junior Jeremy Dwyer (Duncansville, Pa./Hollidaysburg) did not drop a game in his semifinal victory over Westminster's Mark Drabick at fourth singles. Dwyer, the top seed, will play Waynesburg's Steve Bold Saturday for the fourth singles title.
Senior Chris Baker (Erie, Pa./McDowell) will challenge for his fourth career conference title in singles play Saturday after reaching the finals with a 6-0, 6-2 win over Thomas More's Garry Sheahan. Baker, the top seed, will meet Waynesburg's Eric Schons for the title.
At sixth singles, Freshman Marc Mentzer (Lancaster, Pa./Manheim Township) picked up a 6-0, 6-1 semifinal victory over Thomas More's Johnny Bergman. Mentzer will meet Waynesburg's Adam Woodruff in the finals.
Moyer and Davis reached the finals at first doubles with an 8-2 victory over Westminster's Cunningham-Stefan Hadricky. The Grove City tandem will meet Faulk and Jeff Tomaino of W&J. Baker and junior Kyle Johnson (Arlington Heights, Ill./St. Viator) entered the second doubles bracket as the No. 5 seed but earned a pair of wins to reach the finals.
Baker-Johnson picked up an 8-2 win over Bethany's Chatham Gongola and Andrew McPherson in the quarterfinals. Baker and Johnson then secured an 8-5 win over Waynesburg's Bold and Khoury. Baker-Johnson will face W&J's David DuBois and Pat Kennedy for the PAC title.
Dwyer and sophomore Bill DeRocha (Port Huron, Mich./Port Huron) entered the third doubles draw as the top seed and earned an 8-1 win over Bergman and Brian Muse of Thomas More in the semifinals. Dwyer and DeRocha will meet Westminster's Romeo and Paul "Dusty" Rhodes for the championship.
Grove City is in pursuit of its 19th straight PAC championship.
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