Huskers Start Strong at Louisville Invite

Louisville, Ky. -- After getting off to a slow start in the fall season opener two weeks ago, the Nebraska men's tennis team turned its fortune around Friday, as the Huskers won their first nine matches, including all seven first-round matches, before finishing the first day of the Louisville Fall Invitational at the Bass-Rudd Tennis Center in Louisville, Ky., with a 12-2 singles record. Five Huskers moved into the quarterfinals in singles play, while all three duos were knocked out in the first round of doubles action.

Leading the way for the Huskers was Jeff Nabity, who went 2-0 on the day in the ?A' Flight singles main draw. A senior from Grand Island, Neb., Nabity won his first two matches of the fall season in straight sets, easily dispatching Eastern Kentucky's Tom Wospil, 7-5, 6-3, in the first round before coming back to knock out No. 3 seed Robert Kotrozeo of DePaul, 6-3, 6-3.

"Jeff is playing some of the best tennis we've ever seen him play," said NU assistant coach Rick Stempson. "He beat the No. 3 seed to advance to the quarterfinals. Kotrozeo had beaten (NU's Joerg) Barthel last year, so it was a good win for Jeff."

Along with Nabity, junior Joel Reckewey won a pair of matches in the ?A' Flight for the Huskers Friday. Reckewey, the No. 5 seed in the flight, had to come from behind in the first round before downing Wil Lofgren, 2-6, 6-1, 6-2. In the second round, Reckewey again battled back, this time easing past Quincy Jones of Wright State in three sets, 2-6, 6-2, 7-5.

"We won six matches in the third set, which has been a tough spot lately," Stempson said. "That was good to see today, and hopefully we are starting to pick it up there at the end."

Also competing in the ?A' Flight, sophomore Joerg Barthel, seeded second, won his first match of the day, coming from behind for a 5-7, 7-6 (10-8), 6-3, victory over Luke Recker of IUPUI, and was looking for another come-from-behind victory before having to retire in the second set of his second-round match, falling to George Wang of DePaul, 6-3, 2-3 (retired).

In ?B' Flight singles action, Nebraska earned two spots in the quarterfinals as No. 1 seed Jose Rivera and No. 6 seed Justin Junck each won a pair of matches. Rivera won his first contest of the day in straight sets, 7-6, 6-2, over Austin Peay's Wes Pancho before needing three sets to down Kevin Teufel of Wright State, 5-7, 6-4, 6-2. Junck, a true freshman, had to stage a late rally for a 6-3, 3-6, 6-1, victory over Ketan Saggar of Indianapolis in the first round before cruising into the quarterfinals with a 6-4, 7-5, straight-set victory over Scott Hayden of Wright State. Senior Ryan Jay also won his first-round match in ?B' flight action, taking down IUPUI's Juan Mas, 7-6, 6-7, 7-6, before falling in the second round to Cristobal Toral of Toledo, 6-2, 4-6, 6-1.

Sophomore Tanner Gates, the only Husker competing in the ?C' Flight singles main draw, cruised past Joe Harvath of IUPUI 6-2, 6-4, to start the day on a high note. The No. 1 seed in the flight, Gates then moved on with a dominating 6-0, 6-4, victory over Alan Dowell of Indianapolis.

The 14-team team tournament, consisting of three singles main and consolation draws and three doubles draws, continues Saturday, Oct. 4, at 10 a.m. before concluding play on Sunday Oct. 5.