Boys' Tennis Game Summaries

The NA Boys Tennis Tigers hosted the Moon Area Tennis Tigers in the WPIAL AAA Section 2 opener on the NASH courts Wednesday afternoon and worked their way to a 4-1 victory.   Leading the way with the initial team point was junior UT Tiwari, playing his first varsity match with senior Raj Ginde at 2^nd doubles, cruising to a straight set victory without losing a game. Junior Amit Bhandari and freshman Matthew Kampi followed suit with a 6-0, 6-0 victory at 1^st doubles.  Freshman Evan Kaufman came through with the clincher at third singles with another straight-set win to put NA into cruise control.

With the match decided, senior (captain) Manas Kathir also fashioned a strong, two-set win at 2^nd singles.  In the final action the NA Tigers’ number one, freshman Shaun Fernando, faced Moon’s ace, senior Anthony Lounder.  Lounder slipped by Fernando in the first set before the NA freshman retired down 1-2 in the second.

The win moves the Tigers to 4-0 on the season. They travel to Mt. Lebanon Thursday afternoon to take on the Blue Devils for an exhibition match. Match time is scheduled for 3:30 PM on the Mt. Lebanon courts.

Match Summary – 03/22/2023

North Allegheny 4, Moon Area 1

Singles
#1 Anthony Lounder (MA) def. Shaun Fernando (NA)  7-5, 2-1 Retired)
#2 Manas Kathir (NA) def. Alexander Stern (MA) 6-0, 6-3
#3 Evan Kaufman (NA) def. Aarav Surpanent (MA) 6-2, 6-3

Doubles
#1 Amit Bhandari/Matthew Kampi (NA) def. Logan Cordle/Nolan Jaczcar (MA) 6-0, 6-0
#2 Raj Ginde/Utkarsh Tiwari (NA) def. Nishu Malikarjarun/Jack Erhard (MA) 6-0, 6-0

The NA Boys Tennis Team hosted Section 3’s Allderdice with an exhibition match Tuesday afternoon and battled a strong team, eventually earning a 5-0 shutout victory.  Leading the way with the initial team point was freshman Evan Kaufman at third singles with a straight set win.    The second doubles team of sophomore Sri Thirumala and freshman Adhav Ramadas earned the second point, also in straight sets.  Junior Amit Bhandari and freshman Matthew Kampi delivered the match clincher at number one doubles in two-set fashion, also.

With the match decided, the one and two singles competitions furnished some high-powered and action-oriented battles.  Senior Manas Kathir tangled with Allderdice’s Ian Kuchera, splitting the first two sets in the number two singles contest.  The third set saw some strong baseline offerings from both players before Kathir took control, breaking for a 6-3 win.  Wrapping up the action, the Tigers’ number one singles player, freshman Shaun Fernando, faced the Dragon’s ace, Deniz Finkel, and the two engaged in a fast-paced contest.  After taking the first set 6-3, Fernando controlled the match in the second with a strong variety of shots, ranging from baseline winners to angled cross court volleys and stunning top spin forehands.  He took the set by a comfortable 6-1 margin to win the one singles competition.

The win moves the Tigers to 3-0 on the season.  They begin Section 2 play Wednesday afternoon as they host the Moon Area Tigers.  Match time is scheduled for 3:30 PM on the NASH Courts.

Match Summary – 03/21/2023

North Allegheny 5, Allderdice 0

Singles
#1 Shaun Fernando (NA) Deniz Finkel (A) 6-3, 6-1 
#2 Manas Kathir (NA) def. Ian Kuchera  (A) 6-2, 4-6, 6-3
#3 Evan Kaufman (NA) def. Noah Earnest-Hawken (A) 6-0, 6-0

Doubles
#1 Amit Bhandari/Matthew Kampi (NA) def. Luke Pena/Evan Dine (A) 6-1, 6-1
#2 Sri Thirumala/Adhav Ramadas (NA) def. Josh Kotov/Hari Arunachalam (A) 6-0, 6-0

On the first day of spring with a bright and strong backdrop of sunshine, the Tigers Tennis Team opened their home season Monday with an exhibition match against neighboring Hampton.  Controlling play from the start, the Tigers defeated the Talbots by a 5-0 score where each match was decided in straight sets.

Leading the way with the first point was freshman Evan Kaufman at third singles.  The second doubles partnership of sophomore Sri Thirumala and freshman Adhav Ramadas combined for the second point.  It was Ramadas’ varsity debut.  Freshman Shaun Fernando presented the clinching point at one singles while senior captain Manas Kathir offered the fourth point from the two singles slot.  Wrapping up the day, junior Amit Bhandari and freshman Matthew Kampi turned in a strong performance in their first match together at number one doubles.

The win moves the Tigers to 2-0 on the young season.  They return to action Tuesday as they host Alderdice in a Triple A exhibition contest against the Dragons.  Match time is scheduled for 3:30 PM on the NASH Courts.

Match Summary – 03/20/2023

North Allegheny 5, Hampton 0

Singles
#1 Shaun Fernando (NA) Vitaliy Pikalo (H) 6-0, 6-0 
#2 Manas Kathir (NA) def. Ben LaRusse  (H) 6-0, 6-0
#3 Evan Kaufman (NA) def. J.J. Edwards (H) 6-0, 6-0

Doubles
#1 Amit Bhandari/Matthew Kampi (NA) def. Hayden List/Matthew Mason    (H) 6-1, 6-1
#2 Sri Thirumala/Adhav Ramadas (NA) def. Brandon Pascucci/Jaxson Maye (H) 6-1, 6-0

After three consecutive weather-related cancellations, the Tigers opened their 2023 campaign Thursday afternoon on the road by challenging the Fox Chapel Foxes in an exhibition match.  With the weather warm and windy, the Tigers faced the defending WPIAL 3A champions in a rematch of last season’s playoff quarterfinals.   The Foxes trotted out the same seven starters while the Tigers introduced four new players to their line-up, and the end result was a dramatic 3-2 victory for North Allegheny.

Senior (team captain) Manas Kathir opened the scoring by controlling Cooper Friday in straight sets out of the number two singles slot.  Making his varsity debut, freshman Shaun Fernando dominated Will Siegel without losing a game at number one singles.  After a loss at one doubles, freshman Evan Kaufman made his varsity debut and played exceptionally well before falling to the Foxes veteran 3^rd singles player, Ananth Kushyap.

With the score tied at 2, all attention turned to 2^nd doubles where sophomore Srivatsav Thirumala and freshman Matthew Kampi also made their Tigers debut.  Getting their feet both wet and grounded, the young duo yielded the first set 4-6.  They rebounded with a gutty performance in the second set to force a tie break at 6-6, which they then won 7-5.  With both teams cheering their teammates on, the 3^rd and deciding set saw multiple service breaks which led to another tie break decision.  This time the Tiger cubs controlled the action and took the tie break 7-1 to complete the exciting 3-2 team victory for the Tigers.

The Tigers return to action Friday as they travel to Mt. Lebanon another exhibition contest, this time with the Blue Devils.  Match time is scheduled for 3:30 PM on the Mt. Lebanon High School Courts.

Match Summary – 03/16/2023

North Allegheny 3, Fox Chapel 2

Singles
#1 Shaun Fernando (NA) Will Siegel (FC) 6-0, 6-0 
#2 Manas Kathir (NA) def. Cooper Friday  (FC) 6-1, 6-0
#3 Ananth Kushyap def. Evan Kaufman (NA) 7-5, 6-4

Doubles
#1 Mason Friday/Jack Delaney (FC) def. Amit Bhandari/Raj Ginde 6-1, 6-2
#2 Sri Thirumala/Matthew Kampi (NA) def. Travis Malone/Ben Hallman (FC) 4-6, 7-6 (5) 7-6 (1)