Lebedoff, Weinberger ousted from NCAA singles play/Lebedoff ITA Northeast Player to Watch

CLAREMONT, CA. — Williams junior Nick Lebedoff advanced to the Round of 16 and clinched All-America status before being ousted from the NCAA Singles Tournament Friday.

Teammate Jeremy Weinberger was eliminated in first-round action at Claremont Mudd Scripps College.

Lebedoff's day began with a girtty come-from-behind win in the first round. After dropping the first set to Jared Kamel of the University of California-Santa Cruz, the Ephs No. 1 singles player won the second set 6-3 and then took the third set 6-3 to advance to the next round.

There he faced Will Zhang from the University of Chicago. Once again, Lebedoff dropped the first set, 6-2, but fought back in the second, staving off elimination in a tiebreaker, which he won 9-7, giving him the second set, 7-6.

The two players split the first two games of the third set before Zhang took control, winning five of the final six games to walk away a 6-2, 6-7(7), 6-2 victor. By advancing to the second round, Lebedoff earned All-America status.

The Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) announced that it has named Nick Lebedoff the 2009 Northeast Region Player to Watch for his stellar play this year.

The day was a bit shorter but no less exciting for Weinberger, who faced fifth-seeded Michael Goodwin of Emory University in the first round. Weinberger held a brief advantage, but wound up dropping the first set 7-5. Goodwin took control of the second set early and walked away a 7-5, 6-2 winner.