Cavaliers Edged by Top-Ranked Oklahoma 4-3
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Box Score March 10, 2015
NORMAN, Okla. – The No. 7 Virginia men’s tennis team suffered a 4-3 loss to top-ranked Oklahoma Tuesday night at the Headington Family Tennis Center. The Cavaliers (9-3) suffered their second 4-3 loss of the season while the Sooners improved to 13-1 on the year.
“It was another tough loss for us on the road, but we are getting better every day,” said head coach Brian Boland. “This one hurts as we had momentum and then let the match get away. I have tremendous respect for coach John Roddick and the Oklahoma program. I have to give them credit for battling back from being way down in the match. We will stick to the process and keep improving. I love this team.”
Virginia opened the match by winning the doubles point. Thai-Son Kwiatkowski (Charlotte, N.C.) and J.C. Aragone (Yorba Linda, Calif.) gave the Cavaliers the early edge by posting an 8-6 win at No. 2 over Andrew Harris and Alex Ghilea. At No. 1, Ryan Shane (Falls Church, Va.) and Luca Corinteli (Alexandria, Va.) rallied from an early 6-3 deficit to force a tiebreaker, edging Axel Alvarez and Dane Webb 8-7(6) to clinch the point.
In singles, the Cavaliers continued their momentum by winning four of the six first sets. However, only two of the matches would be decided in straight sets. Collin Altamirano (Sacramento, Calif.) doubled the Virginia lead with his 6-4, 6-4 win over Spencer Papa at No. 4 singles. Oklahoma got its first point at No. 2 where Alvarez defeated Shane 6-4, 7-5.
The final four matches went to a decisive third set. The Sooners tied the match as Harris defeated Mitchell Frank (Annandale, Va.) 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 at the No. 1 position. Alexander Ritschard (Zurich, Switzerland) gave Virginia the lead again, 3-2, as he rallied for a 2-6, 6-3, 6-3 win at No. 5 over Ghilea. Oklahoma tied the match with a win at No. 3 where Webb downed Kwiatkowski 3-6, 7-5, 6-3.
The match came down to the contest at No. 6. Aragone won the first set in an epic tiebreak, 7-6(9). Florin Bragusi responded by winning the second set, 6-2. The final set was on-serve until Bragusi broke to took a 4-2 lead. He held serve the rest of the way to close out the 6-7(9), 6-2, 6-3 win and clinch the victory for the Sooners.
The Cavaliers return home Friday to host No. 62 Clemson. Match time is 3 p.m.
#1 OKLAHOMA 4, #7 VIRGINIA 3
Doubles:
1. #19 Corinteli/Shane (UVa) def. #5 Alvarez/Webb (OU) 8-7(6)
2. Kwiatkowski/Aragone def, #53 Harris/Ghilea (OU) 8-6
3. Frank/Altamirano (UVa) vs. Papa/Bragusi (OU) 7-5 DNF
Order of Finish: 2,1
Singles:
1. #19 Andrew Harris (OU) def. #27 Mitchell Frank (UVa) 3-6, 6-3, 6-4
2. #7 Axel Alvarez (OU) def. #3 Ryan Shane (UVa) 6-4, 7-5
3. #26 Dane Webb (OU) def. #6 Thai-Son Kwiatkowski (UVa) 3-6, 7-5, 6-3
4. #70 Collin Altamirano (UVa) def, Spencer Papa (OU) 6-4, 6-4
5. Alexander Ritschard (UVa) def. #53 Alex Ghilea (OU) 2-6, 6-3, 6-3
6. Florin Bragusi def. J.C. Aragone (UVa) 6-7(9), 6-2, 6-3
Order of Finish: 4,2,1,5,3,6