the lines are still good

Follow the happenings of an animated college tennis coach and his teams in their pursuit of an NCAA National Tennis Championship. It is always the impressive trophy that is displayed for all to admire that gets the attention, but it is the journey to claiming that trophy, the relationships built, the people served and the memories created, that live forever...and what I hope you will find interesting...

Thursday, March 25, 2010

Results: Clippers defeat FDU 8-1


Your Clippers defeated NCAA I FDU today in Bronxville 8-1 (click here for official box score).

Although all courts got off to a shaky start with play and/or good decision making, we were able to sweep through the doubles 3-0. The positive momentum carried over into the singles as the Clippers won 5 of the 6 matches. The only blemish on the scorecard was a loss at #2 singles in a tough third set match tiebreaker.

All things considered we played a decent match today but there is certainly room for improvement. FDU came to town with a good team and we had to fight hard to come away with this sort of lopsided victory.

We are back on the courts tomorrow at home versus Caldwell College at 3:30pm. This will mark the first ever CACC conference match. We hope to get off to a good start and begin a long conference match winning streak.

Thanks to all of you who came out to support us and hope to see you tomorrow.

Nuff said...

Wednesday, March 24, 2010

Match 3/25/10 vs. FDU

Hello Clipper fans,

It's been a bit busy as we get ready to resume matches here in the Northeast Region. We are scheduled for four matches in the next four days. First up is NCAA I FDU (click for FDU web page) and coach Ira Miller tomorrow at 3:30pm, home at the Meyers Tennis Center.

Last year we squeaked by the Knights 4-3 using the NCAA I scoring. Both teams sport markedly different rosters so it is not easy to predict the outcome. With any luck we will have some nice spring weather and will be able to play the match in a manageable time frame.

If you are in the Bronxville area and have some free time, come on out and support us as we resume our journey to the NCAA II National Championship. You should get treated to some good tennis and of course, some excellent coaching. Feel free to say hello as well.

Nuff said...

Wednesday, March 17, 2010

C-A-T-S...Go UK!!! (Click for UK Hoops site)

Ok folks, get ready. It's time to wear your blue and support your Wildcats in route to a National Championship. With any luck your national player of the year John Wall will lead us to the title.

Tune in tomorrow (Thursday 3/18) at 7:15pm to you local CBS station and watch UK take on East Tennessee State University in what should be an opening round blowout.

Imagine how good we would be if Jody Meeks had stayed in school. This would really have been something to witness...
Perhaps the 2009-2010 team can add to the richest tradition in college hoops. Remember Sam...selected before Michael Jordan in the NBA draft...

As for me, you can find me at Jack Dempseys in NYC. The best place to watch UK basketball. Fill out those brackets and make sure UK is your winner!!!

Nuff said...

Happy St. Patrick's Day...

Hold on to your hats Clipper fans, the season, and the hunt for my last piece of the puzzle...the NCAA National Championship is about the resume next week. As a result, see below for the upcoming match schedule:

Thursday, March 25th vs. Fairleigh Dickinson University 3:00pm

Friday, March 26th vs. Caldwell College* 3:00pm

Saturday, March 27th vs. Philadelphia University* 2:30pm

Sunday, March 28th at Bloomfield College* 11:00am

* - CACC (Conference) Match

The good news is that God has blessed us with some beautiful early spring weather which is much appreciated by tennis players and also those enduring the damaging storm that downed trees, power lines and sent my neighbor's patio furniture to my front lawn. With any luck, the tree that fell onto the third court outdoors will be removed shortly. In addition, I understand that former Clippers and current neighbors Sergiu Barbu and Rohan Malhotra have no power service yet and that my favorite German Shepherd Matrix is wearing a sweatshirt about the house.

In some other news...

A very Happy Birthday to former Clipper Vish Varghese aka Charlie, aka Charles, aka 56. Congrats and be well.

A second Happy Birthday wish to my niece Abby who is a St. Patrick's Day baby.

Lastly, wishing you all a very Happy St. Patrick's Day. Enjoy the spirit of the day and be safe. As for me, I gave up the green beer a long time ago...I will be wearing my green Kentucky Basketball shirt today however...Go CATS!!!


Nuff said...

Sunday, March 07, 2010

Rankings...

The March 2, 2010 rankings have been released by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association for NCAA II (click here for complete rankings). The Clippers have remained in the #9 spot in the nation.

Division II Men - National

1. ARMSTRONG
2. BARRY
3. VALDOSTA
4. LYNN
5. HAWAII PACIFIC
6. OUACHITA BAPTIST
7. WEST FLORIDA
8. COLUMBUS STATE
9. CONCORDIA
10. ROLLINS
Concordia is poised to move up a few spots in the rankings with their spring break results and some recent losses by a few of the top ten ranked teams. The next ranking release date is 3/30/10 and will include team, singles and doubles rankings.

Nuff said...

Saturday, March 06, 2010

Thanks Jet Blue...

Courtesy of the good folks at Jet Blue, we have a nice festive five hour delay at the Jacksonville airport. Wow, what a great place to spend the day. Well, at least the airport is equipped with free Wifi service so I have something to do. After playing several games of Euchre like a good Midwestern lad, I decided to update the blog with some nice team pics. Enjoy.

Dane, Felix and Andreas on the facebook of course. At least Andreas is not on Messenger with Kasper in the usual way...
Coach T. working on the to do list. Gotta believe Rogaine is right up there at the top...

Rafa working; perusing some educational material...

Alex catching up on some well deserved rest...

Tamas and Andrey visiting Starbucks...

For some reason Shaolin was nowhere to be found. He may be lost...go figure.

With any luck we will board at the new scheduled time and be to JFK before tomorrow comes.

Nuff said...

Friday, March 05, 2010

A man of his word...

Coach Neil has returned from the "salon" with a new look. Personally, I would have liked to see a little more scalp. I guess he chickened out a little, but not too shabby otherwise.

The afro days are long gone PAL!!!

Nuff said...

Off with his hair...

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – The Concordia (N.Y.) men’s tennis team earned its first ever win against Embry-Riddle edging the Eagles 5-4 on Thursday at the Crotty Tennis Complex. The Clippers, ranked ninth in NCAA II, improved their overall record to 3-2, while the fourth-ranked Eagles move to 6-2 on the year.

Wins at No.1 and No. 3 doubles gave the Clippers a 2-0 edge as Alex Grubin and Andrey Boldarev topped Jan Hoekzema and Alexis Huegas 8-4 and Tamas Dobrotka and Andreas Lindell bested Charlie Rice and Luke Maricic 8-3. The Eagles got a point back when Peter Francis and Istvan Bolgar rallied for an 8-6 win over Raphael Namias and Felix Missal at the second doubles spot. Zander Woodford-Smith quickly tied things up with a 6-0, 6-1 decision over Lindell at No. 6 and Rice’s 6-4, 6-1 defeat of Missal at No. 4 put the Eagles ahead 3-2. Dobrotka pulled the Clippers level again with a 6-3, 6-3 victory over Bolgar at the fifth spot. The remaining three matches on the court all needed three sets to determine the outcome. After dropping the first set 6-3, Francis rallied to take the second set 6-1 but was unable to hold off Namias who took the third set 6-4. At No. 2 singles, Huegas won his first set 6-4, but a third set was forced when Boldarev grabbed the second 6-3. Huegas fell behind 5-2 in the third set but won the next two games to make the score 5-4. Boldarev managed to hold serve in the next game to score the clincher with a 6-4 win. #1 singles was decided in a match tie-breaker with Jan Hoekzema defeating Alex Grubin 6-4, 3-6, 1-0 (10-6).

This wraps up the spring trip on a positive note upsetting the good folks at Dell who were hoping for an order from yours truly for a new laptop. In other news, Coach Tarangioli vowed to shave his head given a win over Embry Riddle. I certainly look forward to him keeping his word and also the shine off his head in the Florida sun at the beach tomorrow on our day off. Luckily for me, I never make such promises. Well, to tell you the truth, considering the quagmire that Coach Neil calls a hairstyle, maybe this new look will be a good thing.

We will head back to New York 3/6/10 where we will have a short break until the conference schedule begins. I hope for an early spring and some nice warm weather. As always, be well everyone. Take one last look of Coach Neil with hair.

Nuff said...

Thursday, March 04, 2010

My laptop survives another day...

The Clippers got into the spring trip win column by beating up on #16 Flagler College 8-1 Wednesday. Finally, the good tennis showed itself and the fellas produced results that we have all been expecting. Flagler had been red hot, making a huge jump in the recent NCAA II rankings.

Singles:

1. #6 David Cotrone (FCM) def. #2 GRUBIN, Alex (CNYMT910) 2-6, 7-5, 1-0 (10-8)
2. #3 BOLDAREV, Andrey (CNYMT910) def. Gino Ramirez (FCM) 6-3, 6-0
3. NAMIAS, Raphael (CNYMT910) def. Harry Snoxell (FCM) 6-4, 6-1
4. DOBROTKA, Tamas (CNYMT910) def. Peter Coulis (FCM) 6-2, 6-3
5. MISSAL, Felix (CNYMT910) def. Tim Hansson (FCM) 6-2, 6-3
6. LINDELL, Andreas (CNYMT910) def. Mason Addison (FCM) 6-2, 6-0

Doubles:

1. #1 GRUBIN, Alex/BOLDAREV, Andrey (CNYMT910) def. David Cotrone/Gino Ramirez (FCM) 8-5
2. LINDELL, Andreas/DOBROTKA, Tamas (CNYMT910) def. Harry Snoxell/Tim Hansson (FCM) 8-6
3. NAMIAS, Raphael/MISSAL, Felix (CNYMT910) def. Stephen Coulis/Mason Addison (FCM) 8-3

The Clippers will head down to Daytona Beach, not for spring break but to play Embry Riddle University Thursday, 3/4/10 at 3:30pm. The Clippers have never beaten the Eagles yet hope to end the spring trip on a positive note.

Nuff said...

Wednesday, March 03, 2010

Things can only get better...



Well, it was another tough day for the Clippers as we lost today to the #1 team in the country Armstrong Atlantic State University 7-2.

Singles:

1. #2 GRUBIN, Alex (CNY) def. #7 Mikk Irdoja (AASU) 6-2, 1-6, 10-5
2. Eudaldo Bonet (AASU) def. #3 BOLDAREV, Andrey (CNY) 6-1, 2-6, 6-1
3. #5 Rafael Array (AASU) def. NAMIAS, Raphael (CNY) 6-0, 6-1
4. Matus Mydla (AASU) def. DOBROTKA, Tamas (CNY) 6-0, 6-1
5. Daniel Regan (AASU) def. LINDELL, Andreas (CNY) 6-3, 6-0
6. #38 Paul Fitzgerald (AASU) def. MISSAL, Felix (CNY) 6-1, 6-3

Doubles:

1. #1 BOLDAREV, Andrey/GRUBIN, Alex (CNY) def. #4 Rafael Array/Mikk Irdoja (AASU) 8-6
2. Matus Mydla/Daniel Regan (AASU) def. DOBROTKA, Tamas/LINDELL, Andreas (CNY) 8-4
3. Eudaldo Bonet/Paul Fitzgerald (AASU) def. NAMIAS, Raphael/MISSAL, Felix (CNY) 8-0

The Clippers will play local Flagler College tomorrow at 2:30pm. The Saints are ranked #16 in the NCAA II. I hope I have better news for you all next time or my laptop may go flying off my balcony into the pool...


Nuff said...

Monday, March 01, 2010

Tough start...

Spring break got off to a rough start today as the Clippers lost to #2 Barry University today 8-1. Conditions could not have been better as God blessed us with a beautiful day, 72 degrees and sunny. However, moving from indoor play to outdoor play proved to be difficult for the fellas. Of course, not to forget that today’s opponent was extremely tough and came to win.

Doubles:

#1 Emanuel Fraitzl / Max Wimmer BU def. Grubin / Boldarev CC 8-5
#2 Ales Svigelj / Andrew Sharnov BU def. Missal / Namias CC 8-2
#3 Marko Mokrzycki / Sergio Velez BU def. Lindell / Dobrotka CC 8-6

Singles:

#1 Mokrzycki BU def. Grubin CC 6-2, 6-4
#2 Svigelj BU def. Boldarev CC 6-2, 7-5
#3 Fraitzl BU def. Namias CC 6-4, 6-7 (7-3) 1-0 (11-9)
#4 Wimmer BU def. Dobrotka CC 7-6 (8-6), 6-3
#5 Sharnov BU def. Missal CC 6-1, 4-6, 6-1
#6 Lindell CC def. Velez BU 6-7 (7-3), 7-5, 1-0 (10-8)

Things do not get any easier for the Clippers tomorrow as they will travel to a neutral site on the campus of the University of North Florida to play the #1 team in the NCAA II and two-time defending national champion Armstrong Atlantic State University. First serve is scheduled for 2pm weather permitting. We certainly hope for a better result to share tomorrow.

Nuff said...