March 15, 2001
Coach Craig Tiley's 12th-ranked Illinois men's tennis squad overcame a subpar doubles performance with four singles victories to win, 4-3, at No. 19 Southern California Thursday afternoon. Freshman Phil Stolt, ranked No. 52, won for the first time on the three-match trip to the West Coast, his was the decisive victory for the Fighting Illini.
All three doubles matches were decided by tie-breakers, but, unfortunately for the Illini, two of them went Southern Cal's way. In a partial rematch of last spring's NCAA doubles title contenders, USC's Nick Rainey and Ryan Moore beat No. 3 Amer Delic and Graydon Oliver of Illinois at No. 1. (Oliver and former Illini Cary Franklin beat Rainey and Moore last May for the national doubles title.) Freshman Michael Calkins and junior Jamal Parker were winners at the No. 2 spot over the Trojans' Ruben Torres and Parker Collins, but Andrew Park and Damien Spizzo of Southern Cal defeated UI juniors Mike Kosta and Nathan Zeder at No. 3 to earn the doubles point for the hosts.
Oliver, ranked No. 28 stopped a three-match losing skid with a win at No. 1 singles over the 31st-ranked Park, and in the only other two-set match, Kosta whipped Rainey, 6-1, 6-2 at No. 4. Zeder broke a two-match mini-losing streak with a victory at No. 6 over Collins that set up Stolt's heroics, a 3-6, 7-5, 6-4 triumph at No. 2 over Moore.
"I was happy with the majority of our singles play today," said Tiley. "Several of our freshmen came through this afternoon. Phil (Stolt) had one of his best matches since he's been at Illinois, coming back from a set down to win. But I'm still not satisfied with our doubles. We put our own backs against the wall after losing the doubles point. We just need to execute more consistently."
With the victory, Illinois moves to 8-5 on the season, while USC drops to 10-3.
The Fighting Illini will continue to train outside until Sunday, when they'll return to Illinois. The Orange and Blue has its next competition Saturday and Sunday, March 24 and 25, when Big Ten foes Michigan and Michigan State invade the Atkins Tennis Center.
Today's Illinois results:
SINGLES
1. No. 28 Graydon Oliver (ILL) def. No. 31 Andrew Park (USC) 6-2, 6-3
2. No. 52 Phil Stolt (ILL) def. Ryan Moore (USC) 3-6, 7-5, 6-4
3. Damien Spizzo (USC) def. Amer Delic (ILL) 7-6 (8-6), 7-5
4. Mike Kosta (ILL) def. Nick Rainey (USC) 6-1, 6-2
5. Ruben Torres (USC) def. Michael Calkins (ILL) 7-6, 6-4
6. Nathan Zeder (ILL) def. Parker Collins (USC) 6-4, 6-4
DOUBLES
1. No. 36 Nick Rainey/Ryan Moore (USC) def. No. 3 Graydon Oliver/Amer Delic (ILL) 9-8 (7-5)
2. Michael Calkins/Jamal Parker (ILL) def. Ruben Torres/Parker Collins (USC) 9-8 (7-5)
3. Andrew Park/Damien Spizzo (USC) def. Nathan Zeder/Mike Kosta (ILL) 8-2
