CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – With its highest ranking since 2013, the No. 22 Harvard men's tennis team welcomes St. John's and Boston University to the Murr Tennis Center Saturday. The Crimson and Red Storm will face off at noon, followed by Harvard welcoming BU at 4 p.m. Both matches can be seen live on the Ivy League Digital Network.
Parking Advisory
Fans should be aware that because of the recent weather in Boston, parking is limited at the athletic complex and cars will be charged $10 for all Friday and Saturday contests. More information is available here.
Scouting STJ
No. 74 St. John's (4-3) was last in action at Columbia Feb. 21, dropping a 6-1 decision to the No. 11 Lions. The Red Storm went 1-1 at the ECAC Championships, besting Monmouth (4-0) before falling to Dartmouth (4-3). Lucas Heihal competes at the No. 1 position.
Scouting BU
Heading into the weekend at 2-0, Boston University last defeated Colgate, 7-0, Feb. 22. William Kwok owns the No. 1 spot, while junior Stefan Lemire competes at the No. 2 position.
In the Rankings
Harvard rose to No. 22 in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Poll this week, its highest ranking since April 23, 2013 (21). The Crimson is one of three Ivy League teams in the top-25 and one of six in the top-50. Individually, senior Denis Nguyen ranks No. 47 in singles play, followed by sophomore Sebastian Beltrame at No. 105. Nguyen and sophomore Brian Yeung sit No. 9 in doubles action.
Team
|
Jan. 6
|
29
|
|
Jan. 20
|
30
|
|
Jan. 28
|
32
|
|
Feb. 3
|
30
|
|
Feb. 17
|
25
|
|
Feb. 24
|
22
|
Last Time Out
The No. 25 Harvard men's tennis team took an early lead against No. 23 Vanderbilt, but was edged, 4-3, Sunday afternoon at the Murr Tennis Center. The Crimson rallied to blow by Bryant, 6-1, Sunday evening.
Home Cookin'
Harvard owns a 6-1 record thus far at home this season, beating opponents by a combined score of 39-14. The Crimson's lone loss came at the hands of No. 23 Vanderbilt.
LIVE! From the Murr, It's Men's Tennis
For the second-straight year, all Murr Center matches will be streamed live on the ILDN. Subscribers to the network can watch matches both live and on-demand at their convenience, and will have access to live and on-demand content for all Harvard athletic events through the duration of their subscription.
Fall Ball
Denis Nguyen and Brian Yeung wrapped the fall season with a spot at the 2014 USTA/ITA National Indoor Intercollegiate Championships after winning the doubles event at the ITA Regional Championships. In the semifinals of the regionals, Nguyen and Yeung bested Cornell's Vrabel and Casares to square off against Dartmouth's Sakinis and Kipuoras. The duo turned away the Big Red pair for the USTA/ITA regional championship title.
#Winning
The Crimson finished the fall season with an 81-39 (.675) record in tournament play. Sebastian Beltrame and Andrew Ball both registered a 10-3, while three Crimson student-athletes picked up wins over ranked opponents (Beltrame, Denis Nguyen and Alex Steinroeder).
Last Year
The Crimson is coming off an appearance in the second round of the NCAA Tournament, as Denis Nguyen became Harvard's first All-American since 2005 with a semifinals appearance in the men's singles draw.
On the Sidelines
David Fish, the Scott Mead '77 Family Head Coach for Harvard Men's Tennis, is in his 39th season with the Crimson after coaching the men's tennis team to an 18-7 record last season and leading the Crimson to the second round of the NCAA tournament for the third-straight season. Fish was named the winner of the 2014 ITA Meritorious Service Award in December.
