Top-Ranked Virginia Downs Illinois 4-1 at National Team Indoors

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SEATTLE – The top-ranked Virginia men’s tennis team reached the ITA National Team Indoor semifinals for the fifth consecutive season by topping No. 8 Illinois 4-1 Saturday night in a quarterfinal match at the Nordstrom Tennis Center. The Cavaliers (12-0) will continue their bid for an unprecedented fourth consecutive National Team Indoors Championship on Sunday as they meet No. 4 Ohio State in a semifinal match at 6:30 p.m. ET

In doubles, the Cavaliers’ new doubles combinations once again worked well to give them a 1-0 lead. Drew Courtney (Clifton, Va.) and Steven Rooda (Amersfoort, The Netherlands) topped Bruno Abdelnour and Dennis Nevolo 8-3 at No. 3. At the top spot, Michael Shabaz (Fairfax, Va.) and Alex Domijan (Wesley Chapel, Fla.) downed Abe Souza and Johnny Hamui 8-4 to clinch the first point of the match.

In singles, the Cavaliers extended their lead to 2-0 as Justin Shane (Falls Church, Va.) topped Stephen Hoh 6-2, 6-4 at the No. 6 position. Jarmere Jenkins (College Park, Ga.) made the score 3-0 with his 6-2, 6-3 win at No. 4 over Roy Kalmanovich. Illinois picked up its only point of the night at No. 5, where Souza defeated Courtney 6-4, 6-3. Domijan closed out the match as he defeated Hamui 6-3, 6-3 at No. 2.

The Virginia-Ohio State match will be the second semifinal of the day on Sunday and is slated to start at 6:30 p.m. ET. Tennessee and Duke meet in the other semifinal. Monday’s final is scheduled for 3:00 p.m. ET.

#1 Virginia 4, #8 Illinois 1

Doubles
1. Shabaz/Domijan (UVa) def. Souza/Hamui (Ill) 8-4
2. Singh/Jenkins (UVa) led Roth/Holl (Ill) 6-5 DNF
3. Courtney/Rooda (UVa) def. Abdelnour/Nevolo (Ill) 8-3

Singles
1. #8 Dennis Nevolo (Ill) led #15 Michael Shabaz (UVa) 7-6, 4-3 DNF
2. #2 Alex Domijan (UVa) def. #33 Johnny Hamui (Ill) 6-3, 6-3
3. #13 Sanam Singh (UVa) vs. KU Singh (Ill) 4-6, 6-3, 0-0 DNF
4. #25 Jarmere Jenkins (UVa) def. Roy Kalmanovich (Ill) 6-2, 6-3
5. #65 Abe Souza (Ill) def. #23 Drew Courtney (UVa) 6-4, 6-3
6. Justin Shane (UVa) def. Stephen Hoh (Ill) 6-2, 6-4

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