University of Virginia Library

Netmen Edge Wake, 5-4

By Hugh Antrim.
Cavalier Daily Staff Writer

Taking advantage of Doug
Waterman's marathon 4-6, 6-4, 6-4
victory at number six, the Cavaliers
swept two of the three doubles
matches to upset highly touted
Wake Forest, 5-4.

Two years ago the Demon
Deacons ran the Virginians off the
court via a 9-0 squashing, but there
was to be no repetition of that
affair Tuesday afternoon in
Winston-Salem. Coach Gordy
Burris' high flying netters waded
through four three-set matches in
the singles competition before the
doubles combinations took to the
court to wrap it up.

Mike Eikenberry played some
good tennis, but against the
Australian Haslan, good tennis was
not quite enough. Eikenberry took
the first set, 6-4, and was ahead at
one point in the second set, but
Haslan's experience and finesse
subdued Eikenberry's bid, 4-6, 7-5,
6-1.

Jeff Podesta recorded a Virginia
decision at number one, dumping
Wake's Mike Rubenstein 10-8, 6-1.
Midway through the first set,
Podesta began to counter
Rubenstein's powerful net game
with accurate placements, and the
second-year Cavalier coasted to the
win in the second set.

Andy Sheinman, after dropping
the first set in a hurry, 1-6, game
back to rout Deacon Dave Ashcraft
in the last two, 6-3, 6-3, to preserve
the win. At number three, Ken
West downed John Winter, 6-3,
6-3. Coach Burris explained that
Winter just, "wasn't able to get his
game going."

The Deacons took a 3-2 lead in
the singles with Rod McVittie's 6-8,
6-1, 6-2 win over Biff Cooper at
number five.

In what has to be termed the
turning point in the match, Doug
Waterman maintained his unbeaten
ranking by thumping Cliff Pierce of
Wake Forest, 4-6, 6-4, 6-4. Just to
make things a bit more exciting.
Waterman waited until he was
down 1-3 in the final set before
coming back to insure the sought
after 3-3 singles split.

Eikenberry and Podesta, playing
at number one, were felled by the
team of Haslan and Rubenstein,
6-8, 6-2, 4-6. The tables may well
have been turned had Eikenberry
been able to hold his serve at 5-4 in
the first set.

Biff Cooper and John Mertz
remained undefeated in doubles
play, toppling Pierce and Ashcraft
6-4, 6-4 in the important win at
number two. Winter teamed with
Sheinman to whip Wake's West and
McVittie 9-7, 6-3, to conclude the
upset.

About the most definitive thing
that a happy Coach Burris could
say in looking back at the
resounding Wake Forest victory was
simply, "It was a great, great tennis
match." And indeed it was; the
Virginia netters are well primed to
meet with the South Carolina
Gamecocks Monday afternoon.

Last year South Carolina shared
the ACC crown with the Tar Heels,
and the Gamecocks will be bidding
to maintain their supremacy. On
the other hand, the Cavaliers
defeated Wake Forest by the
identical 5-4 margin that South
Carolina registered. Coach Burris on
Monday's encounter? - "Who
knows what we'll do."

Coach Burris' Team Upped Record To 5-2 With Wake Win

Netters Square Off Against South Carolina Gamecocks Monday