Sunday, 09/23/2012

FLUSHING MEADOWS, N.Y. - Freshman men's tennis player Dragos Ignat won his semifinals match Saturday and will complete for his draw title Sunday.

Day two at the NTC Invitational, hosted at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, was a busy one for Columbia. Four men's tennis players were in action in the semifinals of their respective draws, but unfortunately, only Ignat was victorious.

Ignat's semifinals opponent was Augie Bloom from Ivy League foe Princeton. Bloom played a close match, but Ignat punched his ticket to the finals with a 6-3, 6-2 win over Bloom. Another Prinecton student-athlete awaits Ignat, as Matthew Spindler advanced to the finals after his semifinals opponent retired in the third set due to injury. Spindler was leading 2-1 at the time of the withdraw. First serve between Ignat and Spindler is slated for 9 a.m. Sunday.

Winston Lin, Daniel Morgan and Mark Lemann were each also on the court in tough semifinals matches, but were unable to come away with wins. Morgan won the first set in his match against the top-seed in the E draw, Daniel Fairman from Yale, but the Eli captured the final two sets for the win. Lin and Morgan each have one more match remaining in the consolation finals Sunday.

Ignat and Lin were also in action in doubles, but fell in their semifinals match to Mike Lampa and Valentin Mihai, 8-5.