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Friday Recap: South Carolina Blanks Vandy in Nashville; Miss State Survives Against Tennessee; Texas Roars Past Columbia; & More

by | Mar 23, 2019 | Blog

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Friday brought us seven matchups between top 25 teams with five taking place on the men’s side and two on the women’s side. The only top 10 matchup took place in Nashville with fifth-ranked Vanderbilt hosting sixth-ranked South Carolina. The Gamecocks hadn’t beaten Vandy in Nashville since 2005 but the 14 year drought came to end thanks to a few key points in doubles and then getting all around strong play throughout the singles lineup. 

South Carolina grabbed the early lead after taking the doubles point with a 6-1 win at No. 1 and a 7-6(4) win at No. 2. In singles, SC claimed four opening sets and they’d manage to close three out in straight sets. Ingrid Gamarra Martins was first off the court with a 7-5, 6-4 win at No. 1 and Kennedy Wicker followed with a 6-2, 7-6 win at No. 6. While the matches at No. 3, No. 4, and No. 5 were deep in the third set, SC senior Paige Cline would close out her match at No. 2 in straight sets with a 6-2, 7-6(4) win.

“It was a battle out there (Friday) and we were fortunate enough to edge out some closely contested matches at the end,” head coach Kevin Epley said. “Vanderbilt is a very strong team, especially at home, and I am happy that we were able to absorb everything they threw at us and step up when we needed to get the clinch.”

#6 South Carolina 4, #5 Vanderbilt 0
Mar 22, 2019 at Nashville, Tenn. (Currey Tennis Center)
Singles competition
1. #7 I. Gamarra Martins (SC) def. #6 Fernanda Contreras (VANDY) 7-5, 6-4
2. #37 Paige Cline (SC) def. #13 Christina Rosca (VANDY) 6-2, 7-6 (7-4)
3. #62 Georgia Drummy (VANDY) vs. #118 Mia Horvit (SC) 6-7, 6-1, 4-5, unfinished
4. Summer Dvorak (VANDY) vs. Megan Davies (SC) 6-1, 1-6, 4-5, unfinished
5. Carolyn Campana (VANDY) vs. Silvia Chinellato (SC) 6-1, 3-6, 5-4, unfinished
6. Kennedy Wicker (SC) def. #97 Emily Smith (VANDY) 6-2, 7-6 (7-4)
Doubles competition
1. #1 I. Gamarra Martins/Mia Horvit (SC) def. Emma Kurtz/Emily Smith (VANDY) 6-1
2. Rachel Rohrabacher/Paige Cline (SC) def. #49 Christina Rosca/Georgia Drummy (VANDY) 7-6 (7-4)
3. #37 Summer Dvorak/Fernanda Contreras (VANDY) def. Kennedy Wicker/Megan Davies (SC) 6-4
Match Notes:
Order of finish: Doubles (1,3,2); Singles (1,6,2)

 

The closest of the big matches on the men’s side took place in Starkville between No. 8 Mississippi State and No. 19 Tennessee. The Bulldogs won a close doubles point with a tiebreak win at No. 3 and then added straight set wins from seniors Nuno Borges and Trevor Foshey at No. 1 and No. 5 to make it 3-0. Tennessee came back to tie it at 3-3 with straight set wins from Adam Walton, Luca Wiedenmann, and Andrew Rogers at No. 2, No. 4, and No. 6 and Scott Jones led 4-2 in the third set at No. 3. However MSU senior Niclas Braun would take 14 of the net 16 points to give State the match with a 4-6, 7-5, 6-4 win. 

“Today was just a great college tennis match,” MSU head coach Matt Roberts said. “Hats off to Tennessee. They competed really well today and they’re a well-coached team. Luckily, the match came down to one of our rocks, Niclas Braun. He was down 4-2 in the third set and won 16 of the last 18 points in his comeback. He’s such a tough guy and he kept telling himself good things. I’m proud of him and the rest of our guys for how they competed today, and we look forward to another great match against Georgia on Sunday.”

“This one hurts,” UT assistant coach James McKie said. “Not many teams come to Starkville and win. We had them on the ropes but couldn’t quite execute down the stretch. However, I believe our guys now realize just how good they truly are, but now we must rebound and get ready for a good Ole Miss team in Oxford.”

On Andrew Rogers and Adam Walton
“We are very proud of Andrew Rogers for going in and getting a big win on six and Walton is playing lights out and proving week in and week out he’s one of the best players in the country.”

#8 Mississippi State 4, #19 Tennessee 3
Mar 22, 2019 at Starkville, MS (A.J. Pitts Tennis Centre)
Singles Competition
1. #2 Nuno Borges (MS) def. #66 Timo Stodder (UT) 6-3, 6-3
2. #87 Adam Walton (UT) def. #94 Giovanni Oradini (MS) 6-4, 6-4
3. Niclas Braun (MS) def. Scott Jones (UT) 4-6, 7-5, 6-4
4. Luca Wiedenmann (UT) def. Strahinja Rakic (MS) 7-6 (7-5), 6-4
5. Trevor Foshey (MS) def. Preston Touliatos (UT) 6-2, 6-4
6. Andrew Rogers (UT) def. Florian Broska (MS) 6-3, 7-6 (10-8)
Doubles Competition
1. #8 Nuno Borges/Strahinja Rakic (MS) vs. #31 Timo Stodder/Preston Touliatos (UT) 6-6 (4-6), unfinished
2. #4 Niclas Braun/Giovanni Oradini (MS) def. Martim Prata/Adam Walton (UT) 6-3
3. Trevor Foshey/Gregor Ramskogler (MS) def. Andrew Rogers/Luca Wiedenmann (UT) 7-6 (7-4)
Match Notes:
Tennessee 11-6, 2-4 SEC; National ranking #19
Mississippi State 14-3, 6-1 SEC; National ranking #8
Order of finish: Doubles (2); Singles (1,5,2,4,6,3)
– State won its 23rd straight at home, the 13th in a row in the SEC at home.
– The Bulldogs have taken the last five meetings with the Volunteers.
– MSU won the doubles point for the 27th time in its last 28 matches.
– Braun’s clincher at No. 3 marked the fifth MSU win in a row he has clinched
Official: Butch Huston T-3:18 A-210

 

Third-ranked Texas, which is also ranked No. 1 by the USTA, had little trouble at home against No. 12 Columbia. The Longhorns rolled in doubles, only dropping five games, and then added four straight set wins en route to a 6-1 win. 

“It was really nice to see,” interim head coach Bruce Berque said. “One of the things it really shows is that our guys have a lot of respect for Columbia and we know what kind of team they are. I was really impressed with the way we came out to start the doubles and we had great intensity, along with another really nice crowd. To beat Columbia by that score is an impressive effort.”

No. 3 Texas 6, No. 12 Columbia 1
Mar 22, 2019 at Austin, Texas (Texas Tennis Center)
Singles Competition
1. #6 Christian Sigsgaard (UT) def. #41 Victor Pham (CU), 6-4, 6-3
2. #9 Yuya Ito (UT) def. #16 Jack Lin (CU), 6-3, 6-1
3. #104 Leonardo Telles (UT) def. #91 Adam Ambrozy (CU), 6-2, 6-4
4. Rian Pandole (CU) def. #59 Harrison Scott (UT), 6-4, 6-3
5. Colin Markes (UT) def. Timothy Wang (CU), 2-6, 6-3, 4-3 (10-8)
6. Chih Chi Huang (UT) def. Austen Huang (CU), 6-1, 7-5
Doubles Competition
1. #7 Christian Sigsgaard/Harrison Scott (UT) def. #12 Jack Lin/William Matheson (CU), 6-1
2. Colin Markes/Leonardo Telles (UT) def. Adam Ambrozy/Austen Huang (CU), 6-2
3. Yuya Ito/Chih Chi Huang (UT) vs. Victor Pham/Rian Pandole (CU), 5-2, unfinished
Match Notes:
Columbia 9-3; National ranking #12
Texas 17-1; National ranking #3
Order of finish: Doubles (1,2); Singles (2,1,3,4,6,5)

 

 

No. 11 North Carolina was playing at home for the first time this month, and just the second time since late January, and on newly resurfaced courts they’d take out No. 20 Oklahoma 4-1. The Tar Heels dominated in doubles winning 6-1 and 6-2 at No. 2 and No. 3 and then in singles, with William Blumberg sitting out, they’d take four opening sets. Bo Boyden and Mac Kiger won in straights at 4 and 6 to make it 3-0 before OU got on the board with a 6-4, 2-6, 6-3 win by Alex Bakshi at 2. UNC junior Josh Peck would get the clincher at No. 3 with a 6-2, 4-6, 6-2 win while UNC also had leads on the two remaining courts which were abandoned. 

“We played more of a complete match,” Paul said. “I was pleased with how we competed. We just played better tennis.”

“It’s good to be playing on some new courts,” Paul said. “I think our guys have confidence in the courts. We’re happy to be home home, sweet, home. We’ve been on the road a lot.”

#11 North Carolina 4, #20 Oklahoma 1
Mar 22, 2019 at Chapel HIll, N.C. (Cone-Kenfield Tennis Center)
Singles Competition
1. #37 Benjamin Sigouin (UNC) vs. #54 Spencer Papa (OU) 6-4, 3-6, 5-3, unfinished
2. #49 Alex Bakshi (OU) def. #110 Brian Cernoch (UNC) 6-4, 2-6, 6-3
3. #109 Josh Peck (UNC) def. #88 Jake Van Emburgh (OU) 6-2, 4-6, 6-2
4. Blaine Boyden (UNC) def. Jochen Bertsch (OU) 6-3, 6-0
5. Simon Soendergaard (UNC) vs. Mason Beiler (OU) 4-6, 7-5, 3-0, unfinished
6. Mac Kiger (UNC) def. Max Stewart (OU) 6-4, 6-4
Doubles Competition
1. #53 William Blumberg/Blaine Boyden (UNC) def. Spencer Papa/Jake Van Emburgh (OU) 5-2
2. Brian Cernoch/Benjamin Sigouin (UNC) def. Ferran Calvo/Alex Bakshi (OU) 6-1
3. Simon Soendergaard/Mac Kiger (UNC) def. Jochen Bertsch/Stefano Tsorotiotis (OU) 6-2
Match Notes:
Oklahoma 12-5; National ranking #20
North Carolina 11-3; National ranking #11
Order of finish: Doubles (2,3); Singles (4,6,2,3)

 

No. 12 NC State defeated No. 25 Miami FL for the first time in school history with a 6-1 win at home. The Wolfpack opened things up with a 6-3 win at No. 1 doubles and a 7-5 win at No. 3 but the Canes would come back in singles with four opening sets. NCST countered with all six second sets with Adriana Reami winning at No. 3 Amanda Rebol taking it at No. 6. Miami’s Ulyana Shirokova won 6-2, 2-6, 6-4 at no. 4 but the Pack closed out each of the three remaining courts with Anna Rogers winning 3-6, 7-6, 6-3 at No. 1, Alana Smith winning 3-6, 6-3, 7-6 at No. 2, and Bianca Moldovan winning 2-6, 6-4, 6-3 at No. 5.

“NC State was simply the better team today,” Miami head coach Paige Yaroshuk-Tews said. “They played tougher in big moments and didn’t give up their baseline. We fought hard, but we just couldn’t get it done.”

#12 NC State 6, #25 Miami 1
3/20/2019 at Raleigh, N.C. (J.W. Isenhour Tennis Center)
Singles Competition
1. #31 Anna Rogers (ST) def. #2 E. Perez-Somarriba (UM) 3-6, 7-6 (7-4), 6-3
2. #70 Alana Smith (ST) def. Daevenia Achong (UM) 3-6, 6-3, 7-6 (7-2)
3. #116 Adriana Reami (ST) def. Yuna Ito (UM) 6-1, 6-4
4. Ulyana Shirokova (UM) def. Liz Norman (ST) 6-2, 2-6, 6-4
5. Bianca Moldovan (ST) def. Lucia Marzal (UM) 2-6, 6-4, 6-3
6. Amanda Rebol (ST) def. Ana Madcur (UM) 7-6 (7-3), 6-3
Doubles Competition
1. #9 Anna Rogers/Alana Smith (ST) def. #34 Daevenia Achong/Daniella Roldan (UM) 6-3
2. E. Perez-Somarriba/Ulyana Shirokova (UM) def. Bianca Moldovan/Liz Norman (ST) 6-2
3. Adriana Reami/Claudia Wiktorin (ST) def. Yuna Ito/Lucia Marzal (UM) 7-5
Match Notes:
Miami 11-4, 4-3 ACC; National ranking #25
NC State 16-3, 6-1 ACC; National ranking #12
Order of finish: Doubles (2,1,3); Singles (3,4,6,5,2,1)

 

Penn State picked up its first time top 20 win in three years with a 5-2 win over #16 Michigan. The Nittany Lions took the doubles point after winning the decider in a tiebreak and then they added three singles wins in straight sets while Constant De La Bassetiere clinched at No. 1 with a 6-2, 1-6, 6-2 win.

“I think we came out and we competed,” head coach Jeff Zinn said. “Since the Ohio State match, where we played very well, we’ve played well in every match we have played. We have completed the way every good team competes. If you want to be one of the top teams in the Big Ten, you have to come out and beat the Michigans and the Ohio States. These teams have dominated the conference for years and now it is our turn.”

“This was a huge upset win for us,” associate head coach Paul Tobin said. “Coach Steinberg is a top coach and we knew Michigan’s energy would be off the walls. Could not be more proud of all these guys. We had great practices all week and the guys knew we could do this at home. Everyone, including Coach Zinn and I were locked in.”

#47 Penn State 5, #16 Michigan 2
March 22, 2019 at State College, PA (PSU Indoor Center)
Doubles results:
1. #11 Constant De La Bassetiere/Gabriel Nemeth (PSU) def. Harrison Brown and Mattias Siimar (MICH) 7-6 (6)
2. Myles Schalet/Andrew Fenty (MICH) def. Ben Lieb/Matt Galush (PSU) 6-2
3. Christian Lakoseljac/Christos Antonopoulos (PSU) def. Connor Johnston/Gabe Tishman 6-2
Singles Results:
1. #44 Constant De La Bassetiere (PSU) def. #46 Mattias Siimar 6-2, 1-6, 6-2
2. #116 Christian Lakoseljac (PSU) def. Myles Schalet (MICH) 6-4, 7-5
3. Andrew Fenty (MICH) def. Christos Antonopoulos (PSU) 6-4, 6-0
4. Gabriel Nemeth (PSU) def. Connor Johnston (MICH) 6-2, 6-3
5. Ben Lieb (PSU) def. Patrick Maloney (MICH) 6-3, 7-6 (7)
6. Gabe Tishman (MICH) def. Alp Sentay (PSU) 6-1, 6-0
Match Notes
Order of Completion: Doubles 2-3-1, Singles 4-3-2-1-6-5

 

Unranked Iowa picked up a top 20 road win with a 4-3 result against No. 18 Minnesota. The Hawkeyes won what turned out to be a crucial doubles point with a 7-6(6) win in the decider at No. 3 and in singles the teams would split opening sets. Iowa’s Joe Tyler won in straight sets at No. 4 and Jonas Larson made it 3-2 with a 2-6, 7-5, 6-2 win at No. 3. Hawkeyes sophomore Will Davies would clinch at No. 5 with a 7-5, 7-6(4) win which officially ended Minnesota’s 10-match winning streak.  

Quoting Iowa Head Coach Ross Wilson
“This was a great win for our team. We played Iowa Tennis in a tough road environment. Minnesota is a great team. Piotr and Joe really stepped up and won a close match at third doubles. Jonas competed like a warrior. He came back from down a set, a break, and match point to win in three sets. I’m happy for our team and we are looking to play a strong Wisconsin team on Sunday.”

Iowa 4, #18 Minnesota 3
March 22, 2019 at Minneapolis, MN (Baseline Tennis Center)
Singles Results
1. Josip Krstanovic (MINN) def. Kareem Allaf (Iowa) 6-7, 6-1, 6-4
2. Stefan Milicevic (MINN) def. Oliver Okonkwo (Iowa) 6-4, 6-4
3. Jonas Larson (Iowa) def. Jackson Allen (MINN) 2-6, 7-5, 6-2
4. Joe Tyler (Iowa) def. Marino Alpeza (MINN) 6-4, 6-2
5. Will Davies (Iowa) def. Eli Ogilvy (MINN) 7-5, 7-6 (4)
6. Vlad Lobak (MINN) def. Piotr Smietana (Iowa) 6-2, 7-5
Doubles Results
1. Will Davies / Oliver Okonkwo (Iowa) def. Josip Krstanovic / Justyn Levin (MINN) 6-2
2. Jackson Allen / Eli Ogilvy (MINN) def. Karim Allaf / Jonas Larson (Iowa) 6-2
3. Joe Tyler / Piotr Smietana (Iowa) def. Marino Alpeza / Stefan Milicevic (Minn) 7-6 (6)
Order of Finish
Singles (4, 6, 2, 3, 5, 1)
Doubles (1, 2, 3)

 

Other Notable Men’s Results

  • #2 Wake Forest won at #14 Notre Dame 6-1 – Deacs dominated with five straight set wins in singles 
  • #5 Virginia def. #44 Georgia Tech 4-0 – Hoos took dubs and added straight set wins from Soderlund, Wiersholm, and Lord (other matches were in third sets)
  • #6 Baylor def. #35 Arizona State – Bears dropped the doubles point but dominated in singles with four straight set wins and a three set win at No. 5
  • #9 Texas A&M def. #25 Arkansas 6-1 – Aggies dominated in doubles and rolled in singles with four straight set wins and a three set wins at No. 5
  • #13 Illinois won at #42 UCF 4-2 – Illini sophomore Alex Brown clinched at No. 2 with a 7-6, 0-6, 6-4 win (other match was tied 5-5 in the third)
  • #23 Miami won at Duke 4-3 – Canes came back from 3-0 down with sophomore Adria Soriano Barrera winning the decider at No. 1 singles 6-4, 3-6, 7-6(3)
  • #33 Ole Miss def. #22 Georgia 4-3 – Rebs took doubles and added straight three straight set wins in singles with sophomore Fabian Fallert clinching with a 6-2, 7-5 win at No. 4
  • #45 Dartmouth def. #29 Texas Tech (@Rice) 4-3 – Big Green sophomore Dan Martin came back from a 3-0 third set deficit to win the decider 2-6, 7-6, 6-4
  • Gonzaga def. #31 BYU 4-2 – Bulldogs dropped the doubles point but rallied in singles with senior Emilio Moreno clinching at No. 5 with a 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 win

Other Notable Women’s Results

  • #15 Florida State won at Boston College 4-3 – Seminoles led 3-0 before BC tied it at 3-3 – FSU junior Andrea Garcia won the decider at No. 6 singles 2-6, 7-5, 6-3
  • #18 Texas def. #36 Kansas State 6-1 – Four of six singles matches went the distance with UT claiming three of them
  • #21 LSU won at #46 Arkansas 4-3 – Tigers came back from 3-2 down with Taylor Bridges winning in straights at 3 and Eden Richardson winning the decider at No. 1 singles 5-7, 6-4, 7-5
  • #23 Kentucky def. #31 Florida 4-3 – Wildcats first win over Florida since 2009 – UK junior Anastasia Tkachenko won the decider at No. 6 singles 7-6, 6-4
  • Colorado won at Arizona 4-3 – First time since joining the Pac-12 that the Buffs have won back-to-back conference matches
 
To see other results head to the ITA’s result portal though it can be a tad tough to navigate. 
 
*All quotes are from the respective school’s recaps

**If there are two rankings listed the first ranking is the ITA ranking and the second is the USTA rankings