COLLEGE STATION, Texas – The Texas A&M men's tennis team began the 2016-17 season at the Harvard Chowder Fest in Boston, Mass., Friday afternoon. In addition to the Maroon & White, the Chowder Fest features athletes from Illinois, Notre Dame and host-school Harvard as competition will last through Sunday.
The Aggies opened play by winning two of three doubles matches. Freshman Hady Habib and sophomore Aleksandre Bakshi picked up a 6-3 win over Eddy Covalshi and Johnathan Small of Notre Dame. Seniors Frankie Colunga and James Martell claimed the second doubles win on the day over a Notre Dame pair, topping Brendon Kempin and Matt Gamble 6-3.
In singles play, junior AJ Catanzariti played No. 70 Josh Hagar to three-sets before falling 6-4, 4-6, 6-2. Habib made it a perfect '3-0' on the day with a pair of singles triumphs, winning 6-3, 3-6, 6-1 over Kempin followed by defeating Jean Thirouin of Harvard, 6-4, 4-6, 6-2. Senior Max Lunkin opened his final season in Aggieland with a 6-3, 7-5 singles win over Gamble. Martell bested Andy Zhou of Harvard, 7-6, 6-2, and sophomore Kevin Lam topped Daniel Rayl of Notre Dame to round out the victories on the day for the Maroon & White.
"We were really pleased with how good we looked in doubles play today," Texas A&M men's tennis head coach Steve Denton said. "It was really impressive to see our freshman (Hady Habib) play great in his first collegiate tennis matches and the see AJ battle Notre Dame's number one player to three sets in his first match back in a while. There was obviously a lot of rust out there today, but I think we will get better throughout the weekend."
In addition to tennis the Aggies were able to see some sights in historic Boston before taking in the Boston Red Sox 7-4 victory over the New York Yankees at historic Fenway Park.
The Aggies are looking forward to another successful year after the team finished the 2015-16 season ranked No. 14 in the ITA poll. The Maroon & White return to the courts this fall with an impressive slate of tournaments including the ITA All-American in Tulsa and ITA Indoor Championships in New York.
Visit 12thMan.com for more information on Texas A&M men's tennis. Aggie fans also can keep up to date with the A&M men's tennis team on Twitter by following @AggieMTEN or on Facebook at Facebook.com/AggieMensTennis.
Harvard Chowder Fest
Day 1 Results
Doubles:
Alex Lebedev/Josh Hagar (ND) def. AJ Catanzariti/Max Lunkin (A&M) 6-2
Hady Habib/Aleksandre Bakshi (A&M) def. Eddy Covalshi/Johnathan Small (ND) 6-3
Frankie Colunga/James Martell (A&M) def. Brendon Kempin/Matt Gamble (ND) 6-3
Singles:
No. 70 Josh Hagar (ND) def. AJ Catanzariti (A&M) 6-4, 4-6, 6-2
Alex Lebedev (ND) def. Aleksandre Bakshi (A&M) 6-4, 6-1
Hady Habib (A&M) def. Brendon Kempin (ND) 6-3, 3-6, 6-1
Hady Habib (A&M) def. Jean Thirouin (Harvard) 6-4. 4-6, 6-2
Max Lunkin (A&M) def. Matt Gamble (ND) 6-3, 7-5
Guillermo Cabrera (ND) def. James Martell (A&M) 6-2, 6-3
Johnathan Small (ND) def. Frankie Colunga (A&M) 4-6, 6-2, 6-3
James Martell (A&M) def. Andy Zhou (Harvard) 7-6, 6-2
Kevin Lam (A&M) def. Daniel Rayl (ND) 7-6, 6-2
Galen Lee (Harvard) def. Kevin Lam (A&M) 6-2, 6-3
The Aggies opened play by winning two of three doubles matches. Freshman Hady Habib and sophomore Aleksandre Bakshi picked up a 6-3 win over Eddy Covalshi and Johnathan Small of Notre Dame. Seniors Frankie Colunga and James Martell claimed the second doubles win on the day over a Notre Dame pair, topping Brendon Kempin and Matt Gamble 6-3.
In singles play, junior AJ Catanzariti played No. 70 Josh Hagar to three-sets before falling 6-4, 4-6, 6-2. Habib made it a perfect '3-0' on the day with a pair of singles triumphs, winning 6-3, 3-6, 6-1 over Kempin followed by defeating Jean Thirouin of Harvard, 6-4, 4-6, 6-2. Senior Max Lunkin opened his final season in Aggieland with a 6-3, 7-5 singles win over Gamble. Martell bested Andy Zhou of Harvard, 7-6, 6-2, and sophomore Kevin Lam topped Daniel Rayl of Notre Dame to round out the victories on the day for the Maroon & White.
"We were really pleased with how good we looked in doubles play today," Texas A&M men's tennis head coach Steve Denton said. "It was really impressive to see our freshman (Hady Habib) play great in his first collegiate tennis matches and the see AJ battle Notre Dame's number one player to three sets in his first match back in a while. There was obviously a lot of rust out there today, but I think we will get better throughout the weekend."
In addition to tennis the Aggies were able to see some sights in historic Boston before taking in the Boston Red Sox 7-4 victory over the New York Yankees at historic Fenway Park.
The Aggies are looking forward to another successful year after the team finished the 2015-16 season ranked No. 14 in the ITA poll. The Maroon & White return to the courts this fall with an impressive slate of tournaments including the ITA All-American in Tulsa and ITA Indoor Championships in New York.
Visit 12thMan.com for more information on Texas A&M men's tennis. Aggie fans also can keep up to date with the A&M men's tennis team on Twitter by following @AggieMTEN or on Facebook at Facebook.com/AggieMensTennis.
Harvard Chowder Fest
Day 1 Results
Doubles:
Alex Lebedev/Josh Hagar (ND) def. AJ Catanzariti/Max Lunkin (A&M) 6-2
Hady Habib/Aleksandre Bakshi (A&M) def. Eddy Covalshi/Johnathan Small (ND) 6-3
Frankie Colunga/James Martell (A&M) def. Brendon Kempin/Matt Gamble (ND) 6-3
Singles:
No. 70 Josh Hagar (ND) def. AJ Catanzariti (A&M) 6-4, 4-6, 6-2
Alex Lebedev (ND) def. Aleksandre Bakshi (A&M) 6-4, 6-1
Hady Habib (A&M) def. Brendon Kempin (ND) 6-3, 3-6, 6-1
Hady Habib (A&M) def. Jean Thirouin (Harvard) 6-4. 4-6, 6-2
Max Lunkin (A&M) def. Matt Gamble (ND) 6-3, 7-5
Guillermo Cabrera (ND) def. James Martell (A&M) 6-2, 6-3
Johnathan Small (ND) def. Frankie Colunga (A&M) 4-6, 6-2, 6-3
James Martell (A&M) def. Andy Zhou (Harvard) 7-6, 6-2
Kevin Lam (A&M) def. Daniel Rayl (ND) 7-6, 6-2
Galen Lee (Harvard) def. Kevin Lam (A&M) 6-2, 6-3