Article published Oct 4, 2006
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TOM WITHERSPOON
Tribune Staff Writer
SOUTH BEND -- Culver Military beat Plymouth 4-1 in Tuesday's South Bend tennis regional, boosted after Peter Ianello recovered mentally to beat Josh Beguin.
Midway through the first set, Ianello returned his opponent's desperate forehand lob wide and long. The next point, he crushed a forehand volley long, all the way to the fence.
Ianello's serve was broken, losing his commanding 3-0 lead, making it 3-2.
Ianello launched his racket but ran to catch it, realizing the point penalty such an infraction would incur.
Ianello then bent over his bag courtside, draped a towel over his head and shook it with both hands in frustration. CMA's coach, Alan Loehr, called him over to talk, and Ianello proceeded to coast to a 6-3 win, having gained his composure and re-enabled his talent to prove itself.
Throughout the match, Loehr silently stood behind the fence, observing play, sometimes sitting on a bench to contemplate. He would motion over his players between games to offer advice. He conversed with them, inaudibly to standers-by, and the players would then return to their tasks.
Loehr treated Ianello similarly after his breakdown. Ianello was poised and confident once again after his meeting with his coach.
Ianello clinched the match, a 6-2, 6-3 winner over Josh Beguin, joining teammates Frank Sunseri and Reggie Lemarroy to complete a CMA singles sweep.
Plymouth won No. 1 doubles in straight sets and took the second set at No. 2 after dropping the first. No. 2's second set win coupled with Beguin's break of Ianello to make it 2-3 gave them life, but then Ianello raised his game.The lame-duck No. 2 doubles match remained competitive, but a deflated Plymouth side succumbed.
Plymouth coach Michael Delp agreed that Beguin was not himself. Delp thought that maybe Beguin had gotten too worked up for the match.
Delp appeared gratified by his players' season-long commitment and hardwork, but was visibly disappointed by the outcome.
"We had a bunch of guys committed to working hard," he said. "But, unfortunately, it's not enough sometimes."
Delp cannot be blamed for lacking vigilance. He covered all the bases during the match, pacing up and down the courts, checking up on each match, asking assistants for updates, offering instruction to players, but CMA's singles could not be beaten.
In the other semifinal, Penn beat Clay Tuesday 3-2. As two-time defending champs of the South Bend regional, their success has come to be expected, despite their youth. Troy Brinker, a junior, and freshman Andy Hansen are the two key figures in the Penn playoff run.
"To take the next step," Brinker said after his match against Siddarth Mehta, "you have to have the mental makeup."
Brinker has it, as he remained focused throughout his match. He reacted volatilely to makes and misses, but always stayed confident, battling with himself to control his own fate, whoever the opponent may be.
Penn plays Culver Military for the regional championship Wednesday at 4:30 at Leeper Park.
- CULVER MILITARY 4, PLYMOUTH 1
At Leeper Park
SINGLES: 1. Frank Sunseri (CMA) beat Kyle Stump 6-0, 6-4; 2. Reggie Lemarroy (CMA) beat Nick Neidlinger 6-1, 6-4; 3. Peter Ianello (CMA) beat Josh Beguin 6-2, 6-3. DOUBLES: 1. Jacob Palmer-Evan Birchmeier (P) beat Omar Kattan-Shareef Kattan 6-4, 6-2; 2. Nithin Reddy-Luis Troejo (CMA) beat Matt Cartwright-P.J. Gretter 6-3, 5-7, 6-4.
- PENN 3, CLAY 2
SINGLES: 1. Troy Brinker (P) beat Siddarth Mehta 6-4, 6-3; 2. Bobby Bednarek (C) beat Michael Germano 6-1, 6-0; 3. Carlton Lyons (C) beat Sean Donigan 6-4, 6-3. DOUBLES: 1. T.J. Snelson-Gautham Vaidyanathan (P) beat Adam Brown-Luis Hernandez 6-0, 6-0; 2. Andy Hansen-Ethan Leiter (P) beat Sean Thomas-John Baxmeyer 6-0, 6-1.