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Feb. 28, 2000
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The 20th-ranked University of Virginia men’s tennisteam improved to 4-0 on the season with a 6-1 win over Michigan StateSunday evening, February 27 at the Boar’s Head Sports Club inCharlottesville, Va. The Spartans fall to 5-6 with the loss.
The Cavaliers started out strong as they swept all three singles matches toearn the doubles point. Virginia then won five of six singles matches forthe 6-1 victory.
UVa’s #1 doubles team of third-years Brian Vahaly (Atlanta, Ga./The LovettSchool) and Huntley Montgomery (Chapel Hill, N.C./Chapel Hill), ranked 24thby the ITA, defeated Mark Findling and Ken Kigongo 8-4. Fourth-year JohnWinter (Richmond, Va./St. Christopher’s) and third-year Tommy Croker(Alexandria, Va./St. Stephens), who are 23rd in the ITA doubles rankings,beat the Spartans’ Ivica Primorac and Jimmy McGuire 8-3 at #2 doubles. Inthe #3 doubles match, the Cavalier tandem of third-years Robert Abendroth(Lafayette, La./St. Stephens) and Brian Hunter (Chapel Hill, N.C./ChapelHill) posted an 8-4 victory over Michigan State’s Robert Topalo and GoranTopalo.
In singles action, Vahaly, the ITA’s fourth-ranked singles player, defeatedPrimorac in straight-sets, 6-0, 6-2, at #1. Montgomery, ranked 54th in thenation, triumphed 6-3, 6-1 over Kigongo at #2 singles. UVa’s lone singlesloss came in the #3 slot as Winter fell to Robert Topalo 4-6, 6-4, 6-2.
The Cavaliers won the remaining three singles matches in three sets.Croker, at #4 singles, posted a 6-3, 1-6, 6-3 win over Goran Topalo.Hunter registered a 6-2, 6-7, 6-4 win over McGuire at #5. After droppingthe first set to Todd Townsend at #6 singles, Abendroth won the final twosets for a 4-6, 7-6, 6-2 victory.
Virginia returns to action on Saturday, March 4 when it hosts Liberty at9:30 a.m. and UNC-Greensboro at 1:00 p.m. at UVa’s Sheridan Snyder TennisCenter.
Virginia 6, Michigan State 1
Singles
1. Brian Vahaly (UVa) def. Ivica Primorac (MS), 6-0, 6-2
2. Huntley Montgomery (UVa) def. Ken Kigongo (MS), 6-3, 6-1
3. Robert Topalo (MS) def. John Winter (UVa), 4-6, 6-4, 6-2
4. Tommy Croker (UVa) def. Goran Topalo (MS), 6-3, 1-6, 6-3
5. Brian Hunter (UVa) def. Jimmy McGuire (MS), 6-2, 6-7, 6-4
6. Robert Abendroth (UVa) def. Todd Townsend (MS), 4-6, 7-6, 6-2
Doubles
1. Montgomery and Vahaly (UVa) def. Findling and Kigongo (MS), 8-4
2. Croker and Winter (UVa) def. Primorac and McGuire (MS), 8-3
3. Abendroth and Hunter (UVa) def. R. Topalo and G. Topalo (MS), 8-4