Two Penn College Tennis Players Win Conference Championships
Monday, October 22, 2007
Two Pennsylvania College of Technology tennis players won Penn State University Athletic Conference championships over the weekend at University Park and the Wildcats finished third in team competition.
Robert Kemrer, a freshman from Milton, took the No. 4 men's singles title, winning in a tie-breaker, and then teamed with Alex Henry, a freshman from Rutherford, N.J., for the No. 2 men's doubles crown, also winning in a tie-breaker.
"Robert Kemrer had a great tournament. If there was an MVP of the tournament for my team, it would be Robert Kemrer. He came in, really knew what to expect, went out there and played his game and just did exceptionally well. And he carried it over to doubles, too," Wildcats coach Davis Santucci said.
"Alex Henry had a tough loss in his No. 3 singles, but Robert got him calmed down, they got back on the same page, stuck to the game plan and pulled it out in doubles," Santucci continued.
Teamwise, Penn State Abington and Penn State York finished as co-champions, each with 63 points. Penn College was third in the seven-team field with 47 points. During the regular season, the Wildcats went 8-4.
"Going into doubles, all three of our teams were tied, but, in doubles, Abington and York did better than we did. If we had won out our doubles, we would have won the whole thing. We were very close," Santucci said.
In men's singles action for Penn College, Shane Burridge (freshman/Ephrata), playing at No. 1, lost in the semifinals; Brandon Stoner (sophomore/Denver) lost in the first round at No. 2; and Henry also lost in the semifinals. Burridge and Stoner reached the men's doubles semifinals before losing.
In women's singles for the Wildcats, Danielle Trout (freshman/Linglestown) finished second in the No. 2 position and Sarah Bastian (sophomore/Mansfield) lost in the semifinals at No. 1. Bastian and Angela Charcas (junior/Palisades Park) were eliminated in the women's doubles semifinals.
In exhibition matches that didn't count, Charcas won at the No. 3 women's singles spot and A.J. Shaffer (sophomore/South Williamsport) finished second at No. 5 men's singles.
"For the first time in my three seasons as coach, No. 1, we had a full team and I had everyone where I needed them. No. 2, and this is just astounding to me, going into Sunday, I still had everyone on my team playing a match. That is amazing. That is right where we want to have them. We are moving in a forward direction. "¦ Every year we are getting better and better," Santucci added.