Top-Ranked Cavaliers Defeat Virginia Tech 6-1

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CHARLOTTESVILLE – The top-ranked Virginia men’s tennis team concluded its season-opening nine-game homestand with a 6-1 win over No. 29 Virginia Tech Friday night at the Boyd Tinsley Courts at the Boar’s Head Sports Club. The Cavaliers (9-0, 2-0 ACC) will now play away from home until April.

The victory extended the Cavaliers’ school-record home winning streak to 83 matches. It was also Virginia’s ACC-record 65th consecutive win against conference competition.

In doubles, the Cavaliers and Hokies (3-4, 0-1 ACC) played a tight opening point. Virginia won big at No. 1 where reigning NCAA Champions Michael Shabaz (Fairfax, Va.) and Drew Courtney (Clifton, Va.) topped Will Beck and Pedro Graber 8-3. Virginia Tech drew even at No. 2 where Luka Somen and Corrado Degl’Incerti Tocci upset tenth-ranked Alex Domijan (Wesley Chapel, Fla.) and Jarmere Jenkins (College Park, Ga.). With the opening point on the line at No. 3, Virginia’s Sanam Singh (Chandigarh, India) and Steven Rooda (Amersfoort, The Netherlands) rallied from down 7-5 to win four straight games to clinch the doubles point with a 9-7 win over Patrick Daciek and Sebastien Jacques.

In singles, Virginia won five matches in straight sets to take a 6-0 lead. Domijan cruised to a 6-2, 6-0 win at No. 2 over Daciek. Justin Shane (Falls Church, Va.) moved up to No. 5 in the lineup and downed Beck 6-2, 6-1. Singh clinched the dual match with his 6-1, 6-3 win at No. 3 over Graber. Julen Uriguen (Guatemala City, Guatemala) defeated Francesc Aulina 6-2, 6-4 at No. 6 and Jenkins topped Tocci 6-4, 6-4 at No. 4. In the final match on the courts, Somen rallied from losing the first set to defeat Shabaz 3-6, 6-2, 6-3 at the top spot for the Hokies’ lone point. It was the first point dropped by the Cavaliers top six singles players this season.

“Any time you get an ACC win you feel good,” said head coach Brian Boland. “We need to keep working hard to improve as we get ready to hit the road for the next few weeks. We are looking forward to heading to Boston College on Sunday and then travelling to Seattle for National Indoors next week.”

Virginia will begin that road span on Sunday as they visit Boston College. Match time is 11 a.m. Next week Virginia heads to Seattle where it looks for its unprecedented fourth consecutive ITA National Team Indoors title.

#1 Virginia 6, #29 Virginia Tech 1

Doubles
1. #3 Courtney/Shabaz (UVa) def. Beck/Graber (VT) 8-3
2. Somen/Tocci (VT) def. #10 Domijan/Jenkins (UVa) 8-2
3. Singh/Rooda (UVa) def. Daciek/Jacques (VT) 9-7

Singles
1. Luka Somen (VT) def. #27 Michael Shabaz (UVa) 3-6, 6-2, 6-3
2. #3 Alex Domijan (UVa) def. Patrick Daciek (VT) 6-2, 6-0
3. #10 Sanam Singh (UVa) def. Pedro Graber (VT) 6-1, 6-3
4. #19 Jarmere Jenkins (UVa) def. Corrado Degli’Incerti Tocci 6-4, 6-3
5. #105 Justin Shane (UVa) def. Will Beck (VT) 6-2, 6-1
6. #77 Julen Uriguen (UVa) def. Francesc Aulina 6-2, 6-4

Order of Finish
Doubles: 1,2,3
Singles: 2,5,3,6,4,1