Final Results vs. Wittenberg University - Consolation Semifinal Match
Final Results vs. The College of Wooster - Seventh/Eighth Place Match

Gambier, Ohio - The Oberlin College men's tennis team concluded the season finishing seventh in the 2010 North Coast Athletic Conference Tournament. Wittenberg narrowly escaped the Yeomen in the Consolation Semifinals this morning earning a win at fifth singles to clinch the match 5-4. Oberlin faced The College of Wooster in the afternoon defeating them 5-1 in the seventh/eighth place match.

Today was a great day for the Oberlin men's tennis doubles pairings. The Yeomen were winners of two doubles matches against Wittenberg and swept all three spots in the afternoon match with The College of Wooster. The Oberlin squad continued to play well through singles winning in the top spot in each match and needed just one more singles match win against Wittenberg and the team would have been playing in the fifth/sixth place match.

The Yeomen produced one of their strongest starts of any match this season as they earned wins at No. 1 and No. 3 doubles to take a 2-1 lead in the morning match-up against the Wittenberg University Tigers. Ben Godlove and Ben Turchin were 8-5 winners in the top spot defeating Sergio Fishkin and Rob Lehner.

In the third slot sophomores Joe Leffler and Sam Towne cruised to an 8-2 win over Bobby Fisher and Andy Lamb. At second doubles Peder Davis and Eliot Heaton were unable to find winning shots in the last few games as they dropped the match 8-5 to Wittenberg's Stephane Antwi and Craig Lods.

The Yeomen continued to play well through their singles lineup winning matches in the top two spots. Godlove put together a strong performance and got by Antwi 6-3 in the first set then battled through the second set to produce a 7-6 (7-5) win as the Yeomen's No. 1.  Hitting at No. 2 Turchin would take the first set 6-3 and pushed to a 4-0 lead in the second set before Wittenberg's Fishkin retired from the match.

Oberlin dropped close matches in the third and fourth spots. Heaton lost to Fisher 7-5, 6-2 and Towne was defeated by Lods 6-2, 6-4. Wittenberg also earned a win at No. 6 singles to even the match score at 4-4 with only the fifth singles match to be decided.

Head Coach Adam Shoemaker appreciated the effort of his team today, “We came out this morning and played great doubles against Wittenberg, we had opportunities throughout the match to put them away. It was a valiant effort form Joe to come back from a set down but in the end he fell just a bit short and it was a heartbreaking loss."

Wittenberg's Lehner raced out to a quick first set win besting Leffler 6-1. A 6-2 second set performance from Leffler would a third set. With the match on the line for both teams the Tiger's Lehner was able to get past a tired Leffler 6-4 to win the match for Wittenberg and send Oberlin to the seventh/eighth place match.

With the win over The College of Wooster Oberlin improved upon their 2009 eighth place finish and bested their predicted ninth place finish according to the NCAC coach's preseason poll.

The Yeomen pairings in doubles continued to fire on all cylinders as they cruised to their 3-0 lead. Godlove and Turchin combined to down Ethan Arenstein and Brad Palanski 8-3.  In the second slot Davis and Heaton were 8-4 winners over Sam Susanin and Steve Conroy. Picking up the third doubles win for Oberlin were Leffler and Towne as they crushed Nicholas St. Amour and Alex Turner 8-0.

“Against Wooster the doubles teams stepped it up again and provided us with a good lead going into singles, it really felt good. We were ready to play this afternoon. Congrats to Ben (Godlove) for winning the final match of his career, he put in a solid effort today ,” commented Shoemaker.

Oberlin's No. 4, Towne, defeated Sam Susanin 6-2, 6-4 adding to the Yeomen lead. Godlove, one of Oberlin's two seniors used a 6-2 first set win to provide a bit of a cushion and then continued to play strong tennis winning the second set 7-5 over Wooster's Arenstein.

Oberlin concludes the season 4-22 and will look to the future and improving upon this seasons seventh place finish. The current squad graduates only two seniors, Godlove and Sergio Sanchez.