No. 5 Virginia Tops Boise State 4-2 to Advance to ITA Kickoff Final
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The No. 5 Virginia men’s tennis team advanced to the ITA Kickoff final with a 4-2 victory against Boise State on Saturday (Jan. 25) at the Boar’s Head Sports Club.
Freshman Rafael Jódar won the clinching point for the Cavaliers (3-0), running away with the third set to help the Cavaliers claim the win against the Broncos (0-1).
Freshman Keegan Rice and graduate student James Hopper started the match with a dominant 6-1 win on doubles court two. Freshmen Jangjun Kim and Jódar clinched the doubles point, winning 6-3 and giving Virginia a 1-0 lead.
Rice added to the UVA lead, delivering another dominant performance with a 6-0, 6-1 victory on court three.
Freshman Stiles Brockett made his dual match debut for the Cavaliers, picking up a commanding 6-3, 6-2 win on court six to extend the lead to 3-0.
Boise State got on the board with a 6-3, 6-2 win on court four. The Broncos pickup up another win on the top court to cut the deficit to 3-2.
Jódar split sets against Julius Seifert on court two but got the early break in the third set to go ahead. He pulled away from Seifert in the deciding set, taking his match 6-1, 5-7, 6-1 to put the Cavaliers in the final.
Virginia will face No. 19 Alabama (3-0) on Sunday, Jan. 26 at 1 p.m. in the championship match. The winner will earn a spot in the 16-team field at the ITA National Team Indoor Championship, being held Feb. 13-17 in Dallas or Waco, Texas.
#5 Virginia 4, Boise State 2
Singles competition
- #111 Jett Middleton (BSU) def. #57 Dylan Dietrich (VA) 4-6, 6-1, 6-1
- Rafael Jodar (VA) def. Julius Seifert (BSU) 6-1, 5-7, 6-1
- Keegan Rice (VA) def. Lukas Velik (BSU) 6-0, 6-1
- James Hopper (VA) vs. Carson Baker (BSU) 6-7 (2-7), 6-2, 1-0, unfinished
- John Chin (BSU) def. #86 Mans Dahlberg (VA) 6-3, 6-2
- Stiles Brockett (VA) def. Idriss Haddouch (BSU) 6-3, 6-2
Doubles competition
- #92 Dylan Dietrich/Mans Dahlberg (VA) vs. Carson Baker/Jett Middleton (BSU) 3-4, unfinished
- Keegan Rice/James Hopper (VA) def. Dylan Jaen/Julius Seifert (BSU) 6-1
- Jangjun Kim/Rafael Jodar (VA) def. Taiyo Kurata/Idriss Haddouch (BSU) 6-3
Order of finish: Doubles (2,3); Singles (3,6,5,1,2)
T-2:33 A-197