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Men's Tennis Wins Conference Opener
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March 6, 1999
CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA – Junior John Winter celebrated his 21st birthday with a win to clinch Virginia’s 5-2 win over Georgia Tech in men’s tennis action this evening at the indoor courts at the Boar’s Head Sports Club. The win, Virginia’s Atlantic Coast Conference opener, improved the Cavaliers’ record to 5-1 overall this season. Georgia Tech falls to 6-2 this season.
Virginia got the early lead by capturing the doubles point with wins at #1 and #2. The Cavaliers’ top duo of Brian Vahaly and Huntley Montgomery downed Benjamin Cassaigne and Tim Bibby 8-4, while Tommy Croker and Winter teamed to defeat Roberto Suarez and Robert Wright 8-6 at #2. The Yellow Jackets gained their lone win at #3 as Matt Cozad and Sergio Aguirre beat Brian Hunter and Hyon Yoo 8-6.
The Cavaliers quickly increased their lead with singles wins at #4 and #5. Croker breezed to a 6-0, 6-0 win at #5 over Wright. Yoo brought the Cavaliers to within one point of a win with a 6-2, 6-1 triumph over Suarez at #4.
Georgia Tech cut Virginia’s lead to 3-1 as Matt Cozad defeated Montgomery 7-5, 7-6 at #2.
Following Cozad’s win the match got more tense as the three remaining matches when to the third set. Winter finally clinched it for the homestanding Cavaliers with a 6-7, 6-3, 6-4 comeback win over Romain Coirault at #3. Winter, playing his first match at #3 after starting the season at #2, ended his two-match losing streak with the win.
Atlanta-native Brian Vahaly, a graduate of The Lovett School, handed Cassaigne his first dual match loss of the season with a hard fought 6-2, 3-6, 6-4 win at #1.
#34 Virginia 5, #50 Georgia Tech 2Singles
1-#24 Brian Vahaly (V) def. #62 Benjamin Cassaigne 6-2, 3-6, 6-4
2-Matt Cozad (GT) def. Huntley Montgomery 7-5, 7-6
3-John Winter (V) def. Romain Coirault 6-7, 6-3, 6-4
4-Hyon Yoo (V) def. Roberto Suarez 6-2, 6-1
5-Tommy Croker (V) def. Robert Wright 6-0, 6-0
6-Sergio Aguirre (GT) def. Brian Hunter 3-6, 7-6, 6-2
Doubles
1-Montgomery/Vahaly (V) def. Cassaigne/Tim Bibby 8-4
2-Croker/Winter (V) def. Suarez/R. Wright 8-6
3-Cozad/Aguirre (GT) def. Hunter/Yoo 8-6