NCAA TENNIS : Pepperdine’s Joffe Reaches Semifinals

Unseeded Howard Joffe of Pepperdine won two matches Friday to reach the semifinals of the NCAA men’s tournament at Athens, Ga.

Joffe defeated Mike Sell of Georgia, 7-5, 6-2, in a third-round match and Chris Woodruff of Tennessee, 6-3, 6-2, in the quarterfinals. Woodruff eliminated top-seeded David DiLucia of Notre Dame, 6-2, 6-2, in the third round.

Joffe will face Wade McGuire of Georgia in the semifinals today.

Second-seeded Jose Luis Noriega of the University of San Diego meets third-seeded Alex O’Brien of Stanford in the other semifinal.

USC’s Brian MacPhie was eliminated in singles and doubles. MacPhie, a left-hander, had to retire because of nerve problem in his left elbow while trailing Tamer El Sawy of Louisiana State, 5-0. MacPhie and Jon Leach, seeded No. 1, lost to Vimal Patel and Jason Yee of Stanford, 5-7, 6-3, 6-2.

USC’s David Ekerot and Andras Lanyi beat Clemson’s George Lampert and Greg Silkop, 6-2, 4-6, 6-1.