ELON, N.C. – The Elon University men’s tennis team moved up one spot to No. 45 in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) national rankings released today, Jan. 29.
The Phoenix participated in the ITA Kickoff Weekend tournament in Charlottesville, Va. against the nation’s top-ranked team in the Virginia Cavaliers and the Samford Bulldogs last weekend. Elon struggled against the Cavaliers and ultimately lost 10-0, but Cameron Silverman challenged Mitchell Frank, the nation’s third-ranked singles player, at No. 1 singles and nearly forced a third set, but the senior ultimately dropped the second set tiebreaker.
Brian Kowalski also almost challenged for a point for the Phoenix against the Cavaliers, but Justin Shane, ranked No. 115 in the country, held Kowalski off in a second set tiebreaker to beat the junior.
The Phoenix rebounded the following day in the tournament’s consolation match against Southern Conference foe Samford in a rematch of the 2013 SoCon Tournament finals in which the Bulldogs won 4-3. In the match, Silverman earned a come-from-behind victory over Elliot Barnwell at No. 1 singles to clinch the match for the Phoenix. Jordan Kaufman was the first singles player off the court in the match, as the junior swept Henry Moore at No. 5 singles, 6-0, 6-0.
Elon is in the midst of a 13-day break between matches and will return to the courts Saturday, Feb. 8, for a doubleheader at the Jimmy Powell Tennis Center against Norfolk State and UNC Asheville. The two matches are the first of a four-match homestand for the Phoenix.