Sept. 15, 2008
Complete Results
ST. HELENA, Calif. - The Illinois men's tennis team concluded play at the 2008 Land Rover Napa Valley Tennis Classic at Meadowood in St. Helena, Calif. on Sunday. The Orange and Blue picked up eight wins in singles and collected four doubles wins over the weekend. Freshman Dennis Nevolo, making his collegiate debut, went 3-0 in singles and 2-0 in doubles at the Napa Valley Classic.
"This weekend was an outstanding experience for all of our team," head coach Brad Dancer said. "It was great to see the Miner family and be able to spend some time with them. This trip was highlighted by the play of Dennis Nevolo who got a great start to his college career going undefeated in the three-day event. Everybody showed improvement and now we have to get ready for the competition at Olympia Fields next weekend."
Ilinois superlatives from the weekend included Nevolo teaming up with fellow freshman Ruan Roelofse to go 2-0 in doubles. The duo downed Cal's Geoff Chizever and Pedro Zerbini then upset the preseason No. 8 duo of Jamie Hunt and Nate Schnugg from the University of Georgia, 8-5.
Nevolo went 3-for-3 in singles taking down Cal's Jonathan Dahan, 5-2 Ret., then upsetting preseason No. 12 Nate Schnugg, 6-1, 6-4. The Valencia, Calif., native rounded out his victories defeating another ranked opponent in Harvard's preseason No. 69 Chris Clayton, 7-6 (3), 7-6 (2).
Preseason No. 70 Billy Heiser picked up his first single victory of the fall season taking a 6-1, 7-5 win over Harvard's Alexei Chijof Evans. Heiser teamed up with sophomore Connor Roth in doubles. The Illini tandem tallied two victories with wins over the Cal duo of Eoin Heavey and Kallim Steward, 8-4, and Georgia's Christian Vitulli and Javier Garrapiz, 8-4.
Illinois will continue its busy fall schedule when it hosts the 2008 Olympia Fields Fighting Illini Invitational next weekend, Sept. 19-21 at the Olympia Fields Country Club.
2008 Land Rover Napa Valley Tennis Classic Results
Day 1 - Doubles
Dennis Nevolo / Ruan Roelosfe (ILL) def. Geoff Chizever / Pedro Zerbini (CAL) 8-6
Billy Heiser / Connor Roth (ILL) def. Eoin Heavey / Kallim Stewart (CAL) 8-4
Jonathon Dahan / Nick Andrews (CAL) def. Abe Souza / Waylon Chin (ILL) 8-4
Day 1 - Singles
Dennis Nevolo (ILL) def. Jonathan Dahan (CAL) 5-2 Ret. (inj)
Thai Tu (CAL) def. Jordan Knue (ILL) 6-4, 4-6, 6-4
Eoin Heavey (CAL) def. Billy Heiser (ILL) 6-7 (3), 6-2, 7-5
Kallim Stewart (CAL) def. Ruan Roelosfe (ILL) 4-6, 6-1, 7-6 (8)
Nick Andrews (CAL) def. Waylon Chin (ILL) 7-6 (5), 6-2
Bo Katsarov (CAL) def. Connor Roth (ILL) 6-4, 6-1
Pedro Zerbini (CAL) def. Abe Souza (ILL) 6-3, 6-1
Day 2 - Doubles
Dennis Nevolo / Ruan Roelosfe (ILL) def. Jamie Hunt / Nate Schnugg (GA) 8-5
Billy Heiser / Connor Roth (ILL) def. Christian Vitulli / Javier Garrapiz (GA) 8-4
Jordan Knue / Abe Souza (ILL)def. Drake Bernstein / Josh Varela (GA) - 8-5
Day 2 - Singles
Dennis Nevolo (ILL) def. Nate Schnugg (GA) 6-1, 6-4
Jamie Hunt (GA) def. Billy Heiser (ILL) 6-2, 7-6(3)
Javier Garrapiz (GA) def. Ruan Roelosfe (ILL) 6-1, 6-1
Abe Souza (ILL) def. Christian Vitulli 7-5, 6-0
Drake Bernstein (GA) def. Connor Roth (ILL) 6-2, 6-1
Josh Varela (GA) def. Waylon Chin (ILL) 6-4, 6-3
Jordan Knue (ILL) def. Alistair Felton (HAR) 6-2, 6-1
Day 3 - Singles
Dennis Nevolo (ILL) def. Chris Clayton (HAR) 7-6 (3), 7-6 (2)
Connor Roth (ILL) def. Sasha Ermakov (HAR) 6-3, 6-3
Abe Souza (ILL) def. Aba Omodele Lucien (HAR) 6-3, 6-0
Billy Heiser (ILL) def. Alexei Chijof Evans (HAR) 6-1, 7-5
Evan Rose (CAL) def. Waylon Chin (ILL) 6-3, 6-3
Davis Mangham (HAR) def. Jordan Knue (ILL) 7-5, 6-3
Drake Bernstein (GA) def. Ruan Roelosfe (ILL) 6-4, 6-2
