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NCAA First/Second Round Previews: North Carolina & Illinois Regionals

by | May 12, 2016 | Blog | 0 comments

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North Carolina Regional
Cone-Kenfield Tennis Center – Chapel Hill, NC

[2] North Carolina Tar Heels (25-4) vs. [49-64] College of Charleston Cougars (19-6) – Saturday Noon ET – North Carolina got in as an at-large after falling to Virginia in the semifinals of the ACC Tournament while Charleston punched its ticket by defeating UNC Wilmington in the finals of the Colonial Conference Tournament. Charleston went 1-5 against ranked opponents with the one win coming over UNC Wilmington. Charleston went 0-2 against ACC opponents falling to Virginia Tech and Clemson by a combined score of 13-1. Charleston has two starters that began their collegiate careers elsewhere with Juan Estevarena transferring in from Mississippi State while Garrett Gordon transferred in from Georgia Tech. 

Doubles Records: North Carolina 22-7, College of Charleston 15-9

UTR Starting 6 Power Rating: North Carolina 84, College of Charleston 75

FYI, the number beside the player’s school is the player’s Universal Tennis Rating as of May 12th. For more details about UTR check out their website. 

The UTR Power 6 is the combined UTRs of the starting 6 (rounded to a whole #).  An individual win/loss to anyone with a UTR difference of 1.0 or greater would be considered an upset.   


Projected Singles Lineups
1. #26 Brayden Schnur (UNC 14.06) vs. Juan Estevarena (COFC 13.14)
2. #28 Ronnie Schneider (UNC 14.07) vs. Rodrigo Encinas (COFC 12.51)
3. #46 Brett Clark (UNC 14.21) vs. Charlie Ghriskey (COFC 12.05)
4. Jack Murray (UNC 13.90) vs. Zach Lewis (COFC 12.72)
5. #117 Robert Kelly (UNC 13.95) vs. Vasily Kichigin (COFC 12.30)
6. Anu Kodali (UNC 13.23) vs. Garrett Gordon (COFC 11.82)
O: Bo Boyden (UNC 13.24)

Who Is Streaking (Consecutive Wins >2)

UNC: Schneider 5
COFC: Lewis 7, Estevarena 5


Charleston won’t be intimidated by North Carolina but it just won’t have the firepower to keep up with the National Indoor Champions. I like UNC in doubles and Clark, Kelly, and Kodali in singles. Prediction: North Carolina 4-0. 




[17-32] Tulane Green Wave (15-8) vs. [33-48] Dartmouth Big Green (18-8) – Saturday 9am ET – Both teams got in as at-larges after Tulane fell to South Florida in the semifinals of the American Tournament while Dartmouth finished second in the Ivy League (no conference tournament). Dartmouth won the regular season meeting 4-3 in a match that was played indoors at Dartmouth back in late January. The matches at No. 1 and No. 2 will be the same while everything else will be different. Tulane played just about every match outdoors with the exception of a few including the earlier meeting at Dartmouth while Dartmouth played just about every match indoors. The weather forecast on Saturday looks good with temps expected to be in the low 70s. 

Regular Season Meeting 

 #42 Dartmouth College 4, #32 Tulane 3 
Jan 31, 2016 at Hanover, N.H. (Boss Tennis Center) 
Singles competition 
1. #1 Koepfer, Dominik (TLN 14.35) def. #18 Sakinis, Dovydas (DART 13.98) 6-2, 6-4 
2. #63 Schmitz,Constantin (TLN 13.79) def. Riccardi, Ciro (DART 13.25) 6-3, 6-1 
3. Tannenbaum, Brendan (DART 12.73) def. Van Cott,Alex (TLN 12.86) 5-7, 6-3, 6-2 
4. Fliegner, Max (DART 13.03) def. #111 Rey,Sebastian (TLN 13.65) 6-3, 6-4 
5. Wall, George (DART 12.75 ) def. Jao,Chi-Shan (TLN 13.53) 6-1, 6-0 
6. Schmidt, Max (DART 12.69) def. Schick,Tyler (TLN 13.10) 7-5, 6-2 
Doubles competition 
1. #17 Jao,Chi-Shan/Koepfer, Dominik (TLN) def. Dovydas/Tannenbaum (DART) 6-4 
2. Glasnovic, Roko/Schmidt, Max (DART) def. Van Cott,Ian/Van Cott,Alex (TLN) 6-2 
3. Rey,Sebastian/Schmitz,Constantin (TLN) def. Wall, George/Fliegner, Max (DART) 6-4 
Match Notes: 
Tulane 4-2; National ranking #32 
Dartmouth College 5-1; National ranking #42 
Order of Finish: Doubles (2,3,1); Singles (5,2,1,4,6,3)


Doubles Records: Tulane 15-7, Dartmouth 18-8
UTR Starting 6 Power Rating: Tulane 82, Dartmouth 80

Projected Singles Lineups
1. #3 Dominik Koepfer (TUL 14.72) vs. #91 Dovydas Sakinis (DART 13.77)
2. #99 Constantin Schmitz (TUL 14.10) vs. Ciro Riccardi (DART 13.06) 
3. Sebastian Rey (TUL 13.55) vs. George Wall (DART 13.19)
4. Chi-Shan Jao (TUL 13.47) vs. Max Fliegner (DART 13.45)
5. Ian Van Cott (TUL 12.62) vs. Brendan Tannenbaum (DART 12.71)
6. Alex Van Cott (TUL 12.79) vs. Max Schmidt (DART 12.65)
O: Tyler Schick (TUL 13.01); Roko Glasnovic (DART 13.16); Eddie Grabill (DART 13.02)

Who Is Streaking (Consecutive Wins >2)
TUL: Schmitz 3
DART: Sakinis 5, Fliegner 5

Dartmouth has Brendan Tannenbaum slotted at No. 5 but he’s only played once since last February so I wouldn’t be surprised if he sat and Schmidt and Glasnovic/Grabill moved up a spot. 

I think this match will follow along the same lines as the first meeting with Tulane expected to get wins in doubles and from Koepfer and Schmitz in singles. The other four matches will be close but I think Sebastian Rey will put the Green Wave over the top while Dartmouth will get a win from Max Fliegner with the others in a third set. Prediction: Tulane 4-1
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Regional Final – [17-32] Tulane at [2] North Carolina – Sunday 1pm ET 

Doubles Records: North Carolina 22-7, Tulane 15-7
UTR Starting 6 Power Rating: North Carolina 84, Tulane 82


Projected Singles Lineups

1. #26 Brayden Schnur (UNC 14.06) vs. #3 Dominik Koepfer (TUL 14.72)
2. #28 Ronnie Schneider (UNC 14.07) vs. #99 Constantin Schmitz (TUL 14.10)
3. #46 Brett Clark (UNC 14.21) vs. Sebastian Rey (TUL 13.55)
4. Jack Murray (UNC 13.90) vs. Chi-Shan Jao (TUL 13.47)
5. #117 Robert Kelly (UNC 13.95) vs. Ian Van Cott (TUL 12.62) 
6. Anu Kodali (UNC 13.23) vs. Alex Van Cott (TUL 12.79)
This will be Tulane’s third match this season against a top 10 team with the other two ending in heartbreak after the Green Wave fell to USC and Texas Tech by 4-3 scores. Tulane isn’t going to get blown off the court but North Carolina is just going to be too strong. I like UNC in doubles and Brett Clark, Robert Kelly, and Anu Kodali in singles. Tulane’s best chances to get on the board will be at No. 1 and No. 4 but I think UNC will close out the other courts before those matches finish. Prediction: North Carolina 4-0.
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Illinois Regional
Atkins Tennis Center – Champaign-Urbana, IL

[15] Illinois Fighting Illini (19-10) vs. [49-64] Western Michigan Broncos (20-5) – Friday 5pm CT – Illinois got in as an at-large after falling to Ohio State in the finals of the Big Ten Tournament while Western Michigan got the MAC’s automatic berth after blanking Ball State in the finals of the conference tournament. WMU is 0-10 all-time in the NCAA Tournament and 0-4 against Illinois with this being the Broncos fifth trip to the Champaign regional since 2004. WMU went 2-1 against Big Ten schools with wins over Purdue and Michigan State and a loss to Iowa. 

Illinois’s strength has been its top three with Vukic and the Hiltziks going 53-12 in dual-match play while WMU’s strongest performers have been Greiner (17-1), Loebel (18-4), Hamilton (14-5), and Cahn (10-2)
Doubles Records: Illinois 16-13, Western Michigan 22-3
UTR Starting 6 Power Rating: Illinois 83, Western Michigan 75

Projected Singles Lineups
1. #4 Aleks Vukic (ILL 14.64) vs. Jefta Kecic (WMU 12.91)
2. #16 Jared Hiltzik (ILL 14.70) vs. Maik Steiner (WMU 12.49)
3. #60 Aron Hiltzik (ILL 13.90) vs. Matt Hamilton (WMU 12.51)
4. Julian Childers (ILL 13.59) vs. Ruben Greiner (WMU 12.57)
5. Pengxuan Jiang (ILL 12.63) vs. Daniel Loebel (WMU 12.12)
6. Asher Hirsch (ILL 12.80) vs. Andrew Cahn (WMU 12.34)
O: Alex Jesse (ILL 12.90)

Who Is Streaking (Consecutive Wins >2)
ILL: Hirsch 3
WMU: Cahn 6, Hamilton 5, Greiner 4, Kecic 3, Loebel 3

WMU was a stout 22-3 in doubles so I wouldn’t be surprised if they found a way to take the early 1-0 lead. Illinois will sweep the top three spots in singles and Aiden Jiang will get the clincher at No. 5 while WMU will be up on the other courts. Prediction: Illinois 4-1. 


[17-32] Mississippi State Bulldogs (16-8) vs. [33-48] Memphis Tigers (14-10) – Friday 2pm CT – Mississippi State got in as an at-large after falling to Georgia in the SEC semifinals while Memphis got the last at-large bid after losing to Tulane in the American quarterfinals. Memphis went 5-10 against ranked opponents although it did go 2-1 against the SEC with wins over Ole Miss and Vanderbilt and a loss to Georgia. Mississippi State went 9-8 against ranked opponents and 1-0 against the AAC with a tight 4-3 win over Tulane. 

Ryan Peniston was Memphis’s top performer with a dual-match record of 14-6 (6-3 at 1 and 8-3 at 2) while Nuno Borges led the way for MSU with a dual-match record of 18-3 (2-0 at 1, 7-2 at 2, 9-1 at 3). 

Doubles Records: Mississippi State 10-13, Memphis 14-10
UTR Starting 6 Power Rating: Mississippi State 82, Memphis 80

Projected Singles Lineups
1. #34 Mate Cutura (MSU 13.73) vs. #108 Andrew Watson (MEM 14.05)
2. #54 Rishab Agarwal (MSU 13.91) vs. #92 Ryan Peniston (MEM 14.26)
3. #70 Nuno Borges (MSU 14.31) vs. Kai Lemke (MEM 13.33)
4. Niclas Braun (MSU 13.66) vs. Chris Patzanovsky (MEM 12.95)
5. Strahinja Rakic (MSU 13.67) vs. Felix Rauch (MEM 12.71)
6. Trevor Foshey (MSU 12.64) vs. Shakeel Manji (MEM 12.42)
O: Luka Sucevic (MSU 12.90); Louis Asser (MEM 11.78)

Who Is Streaking (Consecutive Wins >2)  
MSU: Borges 5

Memphis’s best chance is to take the doubles point and get wins at 1, 2, and 6 but that’s not going to easy. Mississippi State should be able to bank on wins from Borges, Braun, and Rakic at 3, 4, and 5 and I think State will squeeze out the doubles point as well. Memphis will get wins from Watson and Manji with the match at 2 going unfinished. Prediction: Mississippi State 4-2
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Regional Final – [17-32] Mississippi State at [15] Illinois – Saturday 4pm CT 

January Hidden-Dual

#6 Illinois 7, #27 Mississippi State 5 
Jan 15, 2016 at Fort Myers, Fla. (Three Oaks Tennis Center) 
Singles competition 
#21 Jared Hiltzik (ILL) def. Nuno Borges 6-3, 2-6, 7-6; 
Rishab Agarwal (MSU) def. Aleks Vukic 6-7, 6-2, 6-4 
#41 Aron Hiltzik (ILL) def. Mate Cutura 6-2, 6-3; 
Niclas Braun (MSU) def. Alex Jesse 6-2, 6-0; 
Julian Childers (ILL) def. Strahinja Rakic 6-4, 6-3;
Vaughn Hunter (MSU) def. Brian Page 6-4, 6-1; 
Asher Hirsch (ILL) def. Luka Sucevic 6-3, 4-6, 10-6; 
Pablo Landa (ILL) def. Lucas Sanchez 6-2, 6-3;
Doubles competition 
J. Hiltzik/Jesse (ILL) def. Rakic/Sucevic 6-1; 
Page/Childers (ILL) def. Borges/Cutura 6-3; 
Braun/Hunter (MSU) def. Vukic/A. Hiltzik 7-5; 
Agarwal/Sanchez (MSU) def. Hirsch/Landa 6-4

Doubles Records: Illinois 16-13, Mississippi State 10-13
UTR Starting 6 Power Rating: Illinois 83, Mississippi State 82


Projected Singles Lineups

1. #4 Aleks Vukic (ILL 14.64) vs. #34 Mate Cutura (MSU 13.73)
2. #16 Jared Hiltzik (ILL 14.70) vs. #54 Rishab Agarwal (MSU 13.91)
3. #60 Aron Hiltzik (ILL 13.90) vs. #70 Nuno Borges (MSU 14.31)
4. Julian Childers (ILL 13.59) vs. Niclas Braun (MSU 13.66)
5. Pengxuan Jiang (ILL 12.63) vs. Strahinja Rakic (MSU 13.67) 
6. Asher Hirsch (ILL 12.80) vs. Trevor Foshey (MSU 12.64) 
O: Alex Jesse (ILL 12.90); Luka Sucevic (MSU 12.90)

Illinois and Mississippi State didn’t play an actual countable match this year but they did meet in January in a hidden-dual that was set up just like a dual-match. None of the individual matches will be a rematch but it was close then and it’ll probably be close on Saturday. Nuno Borges is probably Mississippi State’s best player, at least on paper, but he’ll play at No. 3 singles where he went 9-1 on the year (also went 2-0 at 1 and 7-2 at 2). 

Weather alert: There is probably a better than average chance that this match gets played indoors because the weather forecast on Saturday calls for winds just in excess of 20 miles per hour. If it does get played outdoors it won’t be very pleasant for the spectators with overcast skies and temperatures expected to be in the mid 50s. Playing indoors would definitely favor Illinois because Mississippi State doesn’t host many indoor matches at its 2-court indoor facility.  

I like Illinois in doubles and Aleks Vukic and Jared Hiltzik should both win up top but that fourth point will have to come from someone in the lower half of the lineup. I like MSU’s Nuno Borges, Niclas Braun, and Strahinja Rakic at 3, 4, and 5 but Illinois freshman Asher Hirsch will clinch the win in a dramatic third set tiebreak at No. 6. Prediction: Illinois 4-3

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