University Southern California Trojans
Men's Tennis Competes at Pac-10 Championships
June 21, 1999 | Men's Tennis
April 25, 1999
LOS ANGELES - Junior Patrick Gottesleben and senior Scott Willinski headlined the USC men's tennis team's efforts at the Pacific-10 Conference Championships this weekend as six Trojan singles players and two doubles teams competed in the main and inviatational draws against the conference's best at the Ojai Valley Tennis Club in Ojai, Calif.
In the main draw on Friday (April 23), Gottesleben fell to a familar foe in Arizona State's Gustavo Marcaccio in straight sets, 6-3, 6-3, in the quarterfinal round. It was the second meeting of the season between these two players. Earlier this season, Gottesleben fell to Marcaccio in Tempe, Ariz., on Jan. 29 in straight sets, 6- 2, 6-4.
Gottesleben opened the tournament with two victories on Thursday (April 22), defeating Washington's Christoph Kull in straight sets, 6-4, 7-5, and Stanford's K.J. Hippensteel also in straight sets, 6-3, 6-3, to reach Friday's quarterfinal match-up with Marcaccio.
Willinski, competing in his third Pac-10 Championships, fared well in the invitational draw, reaching the quarterfinals and equalling his best showing at the Pac-10s. Last season, Willinski also reached the quarterfinals of the invitational draw before falling to Stanford's Alex Kim, 6-1, 6-2.
In the quarterfinals, Willinski also fell short in his bid to advance to the semifinals, falling to UCLA's Xavier Luscan in straight sets, 7-6 (7-5), 6-3. Willinski was impressive in his two opening round victories, defeating Arizona State's Miles Rogers in the first round in straight sets, 6-4, 7-6 (7-5), and Oregon's Joaquin Hamdan, 6-4, 6-3, in the second round.
Three other USC singles players also performed well in the main draw at the Pac-10 Championships over the weekend led by freshman Andrew Park who participated in his first Pac-10 tournament. Park defeated UCLA's Jong-Min Lee in the first round, 6- 4, 1-6, 7-6 (7-5), but fell to Stanford's Ryan Wolters, the eventual singles champion, in straight sets, 6-4, 6-1, in the second round.
Trojan sophomore Gregg Hill was also impressive in his first Pac-10 tournament with his first-round upset of UCLA freshman Zach Fleishman in straight sets, 7-5, 6-4. However, Hill faultered in the second round, falling to Stanford's Geoff Abrams, 6-3, 6-2.
In other action, USC freshman Nicholas Rainey fell in the first round of the main draw to Arizona State's Jeff Williams in three sets, 6-1, 5-7, 6-1, while freshman Scott Merryman fell in the first round of the invitational draw to the Sun Devils' Tim Hammond, 6-1, 6-4.
In main draw doubles play, USC's duo of Rainey and Park fell to the eventual champions from UCLA in Lee and Jean-Noel Grinda in the first round, 7-6 (7-5), 6-4, while the Trojans' Hill and Willinski fell to the Sun Devils' Ed Carter and Williams, 8-3.
