USM Takes Second in Nicolet Sweet 16

Sometimes success is not just in the winning. Saturday the University School boys’ tennis team came very close to victory in the prestigious Nicolet Sweet 16 Invitational, but the Wildcats counted the weekend a success despite losing 4-3 in the finals to New Trier, a tennis powerhouse from Winnetka, IL.

Earlier in the season New Trier beat USM 5-2. Saturday, the Wildcats almost beat the Trevians.  Earlier in the week, USM lost a match to Marquette, ranked first in Wisconsin in the Division I.  The Wildcats succeeded in beating Marquette for the second time this season, defeating the Hilltoppers 5-2, in the tournament semifinals.

USM is ranked no. 1 in Division II, but it came closer to the top than any of the eight ranked Division 1 teams that played in the tournament, including first-ranked Marquette, second-ranked Homestead and third-ranked Brookfield Central.

USM’s head tennis coach Russ Trimble smiled as he quickly summed up USM’s near-victory success in the tournament, "It was a great weekend. I was really impressed."

USM began the weekend on Friday with victories in two matches on USM’s courts.  The Wildcats defeated Sheboygan North 7-0 and then beat Middleton 6-1.

USM did not lose a game in the singles matches against Sheboygan North. Andrew Hwang beat Travis Waibel, 6-0, 6-0 in number 1 singles; Sam Walker beat Matt Norman, 6-0, 6-0 in number 2 singles; Rishi Karri beat Jack Goking, 6-0, 6-0 in no. 3 singles; and Ty Parks beat Joe Golubski, 6-0, 6-0 in no. 4 singles.

In the doubles matches, USM’s Mike Lucas and Brent Mackman beat Jon Langan and Jack Trager, 6-0, 6-3 in number 1 doubles.  Topher McGhee and Andrew Stewart beat Steve Bergemann and Nick Galante 6-0, 7-5 in number 2 doubles, and Ethan Ardern and Adam Salaymeh beat Curtis Weber and Donovan Green 7-6 (5), 6-4 in no. 3 doubles.

In the second round against Middleton, USM won all the singles matches without losing a set. Hwang defeated Ian Markson, 6-0, 6-3 in no. 1 singles; Walker took care of Bennett Hagedorn, 6-0, 6-4 in number 2 singles; Karri beat Jon Luskin, 6-0, 6-2 in no. 3 singles, and Parks beat Ben Luskin, 6-0, 6-3 in no. 4 singles.

In the doubles matches, USM’s Lucas and Mackman beat Andrew Frank and Sam Naden, 4-6, 6-2, 6-4 in number 1 doubles. McGhee and Stewart beat Middleton’s Aaron Schmitz and Ashwin Ramaswami 6-2, 7-5. Middleton won its one match in no. 3 doubles as Joey Niesen and Charlie Cope beat Ardern and Tommy Camilleri 4-6, 6-2, 6-2.

The two victories in Friday’s opening rounds propelled USM into the semi-finals at Nicolet on Saturday, and the Wildcats were once again facing Marquette.   In the third match between the area’s top two teams, USM once again won all four singles matches. Hwang rallied from behind to defeat Marquette’s Matt Lynch, 2-6, 6-2, 6-3 in no. 1 singles; Walker beat Jack Porritt, 6-1, 6-3 in no. 2 singles; Karri dispatched Austin Budiono, 6-0, 6-0 in no. 3 singles, and Parks beat Bobby Stemper, 6-4, 6-2 in no. 4 singles.

In the doubles matches, USM’s Lucas and Mackman beat Dan Ebsen and Connor Muth, 7-5, 6-4 in no. 1 doubles. Marquette won the other two doubles matches.  CJ Armbrust and Gregg Rastebeat USM’s Camilleri and Emmett Scovil, 6-4, 6-2. Marquette then won no. 3 doubles as Adam Hurrle and Chas Muth and Charlie Cope beat Stewart and Joey Harris, 5-7, 6-3, 6-4.

Having knocked off is local nemesis; USM faced New Trier in the finals.  The Wildcats won three of the five matches held early in the contest and were on the verge of defeating New Trier, but it was not to happen.  In the number 1 singles match New Trier’s Robert Stineman beat USM’s Hwang, 6-2, 6-1.  Hrotoshi Kawashira and Aron Hiltzik of New Trier beat Lucas and Parks in number 1 doubles 6-3, 6-2.  USM won the three other singles matches. Walker beat New Trier’s Drew Campbell, 6-2, 7-6 (5) in no. 2 singles; Karri handled Chas Mayer, 6-0, 6-1 in no. 3 singles, and Mackman took care of 6-3, 6-0 in no. 4 singles.

That left two doubles matches to decide the tournament’s winner.  New Trier won those final two matches. First Connor Murray and Ben Friedman of New Trier defeated McGhee and Stewart in number 3 doubles 7-5, 1-6, 6-4.  Then Walter Palmer and Davey Komisar beat USM’s Salaymeh and Ardern 6-0, 4-6, 6-4 in no. 2 doubles to clinch the tournament.

USM has dropped only three matches this season, one to Marquette and two to New Trier.