Freshman Clark Plays in Finals at Bedford Cup
CORAL GABLES, Fla. – Three University of Miami underclassmen made waves at the 2014 Bedford Cup – State of Florida Championship on Sunday as Nile Clark played a four-hour finals match, Andrew Harrington won his quarterfinalists bracket and Bernard Tefel won his consolation bracket at the UNF Tennis Complex in Jacksonville, Fla.
“The guys competed great this weekend,” said assistant coach Mark Dickson. “Everyone had tough singles and doubles matches that will help them build toward our spring season. Nile showed a lot of improvement and poise reaching the finals of his singles flight.”
Clark a Philadelphia, Pa., native, won his semifinal match with a dominant performance against Chris Perrigan from Florida Gulf Coast, 6-3, 6-0. Shortly thereafter, Clark would appear in his first finals match of his collegiate career after winning three-straight singles matches. After a short rain delay, Clark would win the first set, but could not close out in the last two sets against Arjun Watane from UCF. Clark lost the epic four-hour match, 4-6, 7-6, 7-6.
Teammate Harrington was victorious in three-straight matches on Sunday to win the white quarterfinalists bracket. Harrington a Severna Park, Md., native, won his first match by coming from behind to win in three sets. After losing the first set, and would dominate the second and third sets against Diego Garavito from Bethune-Cookman, 2-6, 6-2, 6-0. In the final match of the White Flight Quarterfinalists Bracket, Harrington needed another three setter to secure the victory against Reece Acree from UCF, 6-2, 2-6, 6-2. After Harrington won the first set, Acree pushed back and won the second, but Harrington came back in the third to earn the victory.
Sophomore Tefel gave the Canes two more victories, playing in the Navy Flight Singles Consolation Bracket. In his semifinal match against Courage Okungbowa from Florida A&M, Tefel was challenged in the first set, but imposed his style of play in the second set, winning the match in straight sets, 6-3, 6-2. Tefel then would go on to win the final of the Navy Flight Singles Consolation Bracket by a walkover against Inaki Espindola from UCF.
After Harrington and Clark won their doubles consolation match on Saturday, the duo would have to forfeit Sunday’s match due to the length of Clark’s singles finals match.
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Singles Results
White Flight Singles Competition
Nile Clark (UM) def. Chris Perrigan (FGCU), 6-3, 6-0
Arjun Watane (UCF) def. Nile Clark (UM), 4-6, 7-6, 7-6
Navy Flight Singles Consolation Competition
Bernard Tefel (UM) def. Courage Okungbowa (FAMU), 6-3, 6-2
Bernard Tefel (UM) def. Inaki Espindola (UCF), forfeit
White Flight Quarterfinalists Singles Competition
Andrew Harrington (UM) def. Diego Garavito (BCU), 2-6, 6-2, 6-0
Andrew Harrington (UM) def. Reece Acree (UCF), 6-2, 2-6, 6-2
Navy Flight Round 3 Singles Competition
Laurynas Antropikas (SU) def. Daniel Shebshayevich (UM), forfeit
Doubles Results
Doubles Consolation Bracket
Clark/Harrington (UM) def. Barrus/Espindola (UCF), forfeit
Wardell/Perez-Blanco (UF) def. Clark/Harrington (UM), forfeit
