The Daily Campus

Issue date: 4/11/08 Section: Sports

Media Credit: Matt Lin The tennis team defeated Holy Cross 7-0 yesterday and qualified for the Big East Championship.

It was a perfect day yesterday over at the UConn tennis courts. With warm, sunny weather, and a crowd of enthusiastic friends and family there to cheer on players, the Huskies defeated Holy Cross, 7-0.

Things started smoothly for UConn in the doubles matches. The teams of Joe Goldstein/Ben Schueler, Joey Michaels/ Christian Malerba and Mike Bobitski/Aaron Ribchinsky all won in their sets to win the doubles point for UConn.

Goldstein, Schueler, Marcus, Malbera, Ribchinsky and Bobitski dominated at their respective spots for the singles matches. The team continued to overpower Holy Cross and won every single match.

This victory marks the end of the regular season and brings the team to a 6-8-1 record. As the records and statistics show the team has seen great improvement in its play this year. They managed to fine tune their skills and defeated teams like Boston University and Lehigh, who they fell to last year. And with two freshman, two sophomores and two juniors the team has continual up and coming talent.

On top of the flawless end of season match, yesterday was also senior day for the team. It was the last home match to be played by the three graduating players Bobitski, Malerba and Ribchinsky.

Before the match began there was a small ceremony in which plaques were handed out to each of these three teammates. Large amounts of friends and family of these seniors came out to watch the emotional last matches they would play at UConn.

All three seniors were able to play on one court; and maybe due to the instruction of top level coaches all four years or maybe due to the enthusiasm displayed by the crowd, but the three players made the defeats look easy and the entire match ended in only two hours.

Over the years these three players have done great things for the UConn team, like Malerba's 10-4 record in singles this season.

"Being on this team for all four years has given me the opportunity to make a lot of friends," said Bobitski. "I'm really proud of everyone on this team, it's been an honor, and its really been fun seeing everyone grow up. Playing for coach Marshall and coach Lewis has been great. They pushed us; they gave us the opportunity to succeed. And overall it's just been a real pleasure playing for UConn."

Although yesterday was the last match for the Huskies in the regular season they will still have the opportunity to play a few more matches before calling it quits for the year. Next Wednesday the team will head down to Tampa, where they play in the Big East Championships. This marks the first time in eight years that the team qualified to compete in tournament.





Contact Holly Lynch at

Holly.Lynch@UConn.edu

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