September 28, 2008
Aggies ace, injure at ITA’s
MARYVILLE, Missouri (September 28) – The Cameron men’s tennis team had its outstanding weekend at the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Regional Championships marred by injury today, mere sets away from both the doubles and singles championship titles. CU once again established itself as the best team in the entire region, but a leg injury to top player Daniel Pazos left the Aggies heading home without hardware. The tournament was hosted by Northwest Missouri State University.
“We played wonderful and as of right now we have the best team in the region; we should definitely stay (ranked) number one,” Head Coach James Helvey said. “It was a unanimous vote by all of the coaches that we have the best team, the best doubles team, and the best singles player.”
Pazos was two games away from winning the ITA Regional Singles Championship when both of his legs cramped up. The pain never ceased and he lost the next five games and a third-set tiebreaker to Southwest Baptist University’s Marton Zsiga.
Pazos had a 6-4, 4-1 lead against Zsiga when the pain began. He used his injury time and returned to the court, but couldn’t run nor bend over while a somber crowd watched Zsiga rally for the win. Zsiga won the final eight points in a 10-2 third-set tiebreaker.
“Even the other coaches hated this for us,” Coach Helvey said. “Abilene Christian didn’t even want the (doubles) trophy and the Southern Baptist coach was very gracious. Nobody wanted to win it like this. Daniel’s body and legs started cramping, his legs locked, and then he could barely move.”
The injury forced Cameron to also concede the ITA Regional Doubles Championship in which Pazos and teammate Diego Trojano were favorites in the final match. After Pazos couldn’t relieve the pain in his legs with an hour break following singles play, the duo had to forfeit the match.
Abilene Christian’s Ryan Hudson and Juan Nunez were crowned champions and along with Zsiga will represent the region at the national tournament to be played October 16-19 in Mobile, Alabama. Only the doubles and singles winners of this weekend’s tournament advance to the ITA National Championship next month.
“We are clearly the best team in the region, and Pazos is the best player in the league,” Coach Helvey said. “The good thing is that we will still be number one in the region if we play like this in the spring. We still have a lot of tennis left to play this year, but I really wanted the guys to get this win individually today.”
Cameron’s Daniel Bonamigo lost in the first round of the singles tournament, while Saman Samii and Cristian Easton were both bounced in the “Sweet 16” round. Trojano, Carlos Viscarra, and Thomas Piexoto all also made it to the Round of 32.
In doubles Samii and Bonamigo lost to Washburn University’s duo in the first round, while the tandem of Easton and Piexoto made it to the quarterfinals.
The Cameron men’s tennis team next takes part in the Lone Star Conference Individual Championships in Wichita Falls, Texas, on October 10-11. The Aggie women’s team participates in their ITA Regional Championship next weekend (October 3-5) in Abilene, Texas.