Ithaca Captures Empire 8 Men's Tennis Championship Title
April 22, 2007
From Ithaca Sports Information Release
Rochester, N.Y. -- The third-seeded men's tennis team defended its Empire 8 title, knocking off fourth-seeded Rochester Institute of Technology 6-3 in the Empire 8 Championship Tournament final. The conference crown is the Bombers’ fourth in five years, but the first that carries with it an automatic bid to the NCAA Championships.
This year marks the first time that the winner of the league tournament earns a berth in the NCAA Championships; Ithaca will be making the program’s first appearance.
Senior Joe Young (Pocono Mountain/Saylorsburg, Pa.) recorded a 6-3, 6-1 win at third singles to clinch the Ithaca victory and send the Bombers to the NCAA Championships. Ithaca had won two of the three doubles matches – freshmen Taylor Borda (West Morris-Mendham/Chester, N.J.) and Danny Wolk (The Field School/Potomac, Md.) teamed for an 8-3 win at second doubles and freshman Liam Berkowitz (Pleasantville/Pleasantville) and junior Jeff Buffum (Morristown/Morristown, N.J.) were winners at third doubles by an 8-5 score – then won the first three singles matches that finished. Before Young’s victory, senior Colin Flynn (Needham/Needham, Mass.) was a straight-set winner at first singles and Wolk picked up a 6-2, 6-3 win at fourth singles.
Borda, who rallied to win 4-6, 6-0, 6-2 at second singles, rounded out Ithaca’s winners. He and Wolk both went 6-0 in the Empire 8 Championship Tournament. Flynn and Buffum both went 5-1.
Pairings for the NCAA Championships will be announced Monday, April 30.
Singles
Colin Flynn (IC) beat Jose Guzman (RIT) 6-1, 6-1
Taylor Borda (IC) beat Brennan Diggs (RIT) 4-6, 6-0, 6-2
Danny Wolk (IC) beat Gean Yip (RIT) 6-3, 6-1
Jeff Buffum (IC) beat Han Chong (RIT) 6-2, 6-3
John Traver (RIT) beat Liam Berkowitz (IC) 6-3, 3-6, 10-7
Joe Schember (RIT) beat Jeff Buffum (IC) 6-3, 6-3
Doubles
Jose Guzman/Brennan Diggs (RIT) beat Colin Flynn/Joe Young (IC) 9-8 [3]
Taylor Borda/Danny Wolk (IC) beat Han Chong/Gean Yip (RIT) 8-3
Liam Berkowitz/Jeff Buffum (IC) beat Joe Schember/Samper (RIT) 8-5