News Release Date:
Thursday, October 15

WALLA WALLA, Wash. -- A strong start turned sour for Whitman College senior Matt Solomon on Thursday as the ITA's National Small College Championships continued at the Copeland-Cox Tennis Center in Mobile, Ala.

Matt Solomon

Solomon bolted to leads of 3-0 and 4-1 against Middlebury's Andy Peters, but that's when the match started to turn.

Peters won five straight games to steal the first set and then put the finishing touches on a 6-4, 6-2 victory.

"Matt did not play poorly," Whitman coach Jeff Northam said. "In those first five games, in fact, he played some of the best tennis I've ever seen him play. He was absolutely blistering the ball.

"But Matt's opponent scrapped his way back into the match. He's a real athletic kid who came out of a very strong Northeast region. He has a big serve, and he kept returning a lot of balls."

An abdominal muscle tear, which Solomon suffered last summer, continued to hamper his play. The injury, which is expected to heal with a few months rest, limits his serve and ability to hit overhead shots.

Today's loss drops Solomon into the consolation bracket, where he plays Kenyon College senior Mike Greenberg at 8:30 a.m. Friday.

Greenberg, the No. 2 seed in the singles bracket, was upset today by Robbi Erani, a sophomore at Claremont-Mudd-Scripps. Two years ago, Greenberg capped his spring season by winning the NCAA Division III national singles title.

Win or lose against Greenberg, Solomon will play a second consolation match on Saturday.

Solomon has played in the ITA's Small College Championships in each of his four seasons. Players qualify by winning the singles or doubles titles in their ITA regional tournaments.

Players at the Small College Championships also earn ITA All-American honors. 

- 30 -

CONTACT: Dave Holden
Sports Information Director
Whitman College, Walla Walla, Wash.
509 527-5902; holden@whitman.edu