Men's tennis heads home from West with three losses, one win

Men's tennis came home last night after a disappointing spring break in Southern California. Starting the week off with an 8-2 record, the Tigers return just 9-5. Their most critical competition still lies ahead — Ivy League matches begin in two weeks.

While No. 65 Princeton could not have expected to sail past three of four teams with higher national standings, the Tigers handed their three losses over without forcing their opponents to break a sweat.

Of course, meeting the highest ranked opponent, No. 16 University of Southern California, in the first match could not have helped Princeton's confidence. A 5-2 loss resulted from tough doubles losses for all three teams, as well as a sluggish performances from the top four singles players.

Freshman Josh Berman and senior Trevor Smith led the determined fight for a doubles point on center court but let the match slip through their fingers, 9-8. Freshman Darius Craton and junior Daniel Friedman lost in a close 8-5 pro set, nearly matched by the 8-4 loss for freshman Hans Plukas and junior Tim Kofol in third doubles.

Despite a dominating performance by USC, Friedman and freshman Andrew Lieu pulled out easy victories at numbers five and six singles, respectively. Friedman double-bageled his opponent in a quick 6-0, 6-0 victory while Lieu finished off his match with a 6-1, 6-4 win. It was not enough to sway the momentum, however: USC also earned quick victories at second, third, and fourth singles to clinch a sure match win for an overall team score of 4-2. Smith's futile battle at number one singles capped USC's victory, 6-7, 7-5, 6-4.

Princeton's next match, against Loyola Marymount, carried a different tune. If not for the improved play by all doubles teams, the Tigers' fate would not have been so fortunate. With a 3-2 singles lead by Marymount, it was Princeton's doubles point that evened the score to 3-3. The outcome of the match hung on one player — Lieu, who was still fighting for his match in sixth singles when the score leveled at a tie. As his teammates looked on, resting their hopes on the final match, Lieu knocked out his opponent in a straight-set, 7-5, 6-3 victory, giving Tigers the 4-3 overall lead.

Crushed laurels

Princeton had no time to rest on its laurels. Its next challenge was No. 29 University of San Diego, and a challenge it was — the Tigers' opponents instantly set the tone of the match, taking control of the doubles point without much difficulty.

Smith struggled again in the top singles spot with a swift 6-1, 6-0 loss. He was joined in his fall to USD by third, fourth, and fifth singles. Craton at three singles and Plukas at five did have some success, both winning an easy first set. Both players lost steam, however, losing 2-6, 6-2, 6-3, and 3-6, 6-1, 6-3 respectively.

Princeton ultimately saved itself from a total shutout, bringing the match to a respectable 5-2 loss through the wins of Burman at second singles and Lieu at sixth. Burman brought his individual record to 14-4 with a straight-set win of 6-2, 6-3. And Lieu outdid himself once again, proving that he does not deserve to play at the bottom of the singles lineup — Lieu defeated his USD opponent 6-2, 6-2 to earn his ninth straight win, moving his record up to an overall 14-4 this season.

But streaks do not last forever. In Princeton's final match against No. 35 San Diego State, not even Lieu could hold up the team with his usually reliable singles win. The Tigers got off to an inauspicious beginning, losing all three doubles to sacrifice the often-pivotal doubles point. Princeton never got back in the game, losing four more singles matches to ensure certain victory for the Aztecs. Late wins came from Friedman and Plukas, who both got by with third-set tiebreaker wins. Friedman easily took the first set, 6-1, and just barely lost the second, 7-5. In a nerve-wracking third set, Friedman took the fourth singles match with a 7-6 clincher, winning the tiebreaker 10-8. Plukas, on the other hand, struggled in the first set, but came out on top in fifth singles, 7-6, 3-6, 7-6.

With only one match to go before the Tigers begin the Ivy season, Princeton's only hope is that the beating it took last week will make it hunger for victory even more.