F | |
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Richmond | 10 |
259b Virginia Tech | 2 |
COLUMBUS, Ohio - Virginia Tech put forth a valiant effort Sunday afternoon before falling, 5-2, to No. 1 Ohio State in the second round of the Intercollegiate Tennis Association’s Kick-off Weekend. The event was played at the Ohio State Varsity Center. Despite the disappointing loss, Tech’s Yoann Re pulled off a major upset during the singles competition.
Virginia Tech (1-1), ranked No. 30 in this week’s ITA national poll, lost two of three matches to lose the doubles point, then dropped four of the six singles contest.
After winning the doubles, Ohio State increased the advantage to 2-0 as Patrick Daciek (Fr., Severna Park, Md.) lost 6-3, 6-2, at No. 6 against Matt Allare. Tech narrowed the gap to 2-1 when Re (Jr., Verdun, Quebec, Canada) upset sixth-ranked Justin Kronauge in an surprisingly easy, 6-2, 6-4 win. The Buckeyes added to their lead when Nicolas Delgado de Robles (Sr., Madrid, Spain) lost at No. 1, 6-4, 6-0, to the nation’s top-ranked player, Bryan Koniecko.
The outcome was decided in the No. 3 contest at OSU’s third-ranked Steven Moneke defeated No. 100 Pedro Graber (Jr., Santiago, Chile), 6-3, 6-2. The Buckeye’s recorded their final point when 38th-ranked Balazs Novak won the No. 4 match, 6-4, 6-0, over Luka Somen (Fr., Karlovac, Croatia). Tech picked up its’ other point with Brandon Corace’s (Sr., Naples, Fla.) 7-6 (7), 6-4, upset in the No. 5 match against 77th-ranked Shuhei Uzawa.
In doubles, Tech won at No. 3 as Daciek/Re upset the 41st-ranked team of Mike O’Connell/Novak, 8-6, but Ohio State pulled even as 20th-ranked Delgado de Robles/Somen lost the No. 1 match to Koniecko/Moneke, 8-3. The doubles point came down to the No. 2 match where Corace/Graber dropped a tight 9-7 decision against Allare/Kronauge.
The Hokies return to action Feb. 7 when they travel to University Park, Pa. for a match against No. 44 Penn State.
#1 Ohio State 5, #30 Virginia Tech 2
Singles
1. #1 Bryan Koniecko (OSU) def. Nicolas Delgado de Robles (VT) 6-4, 6-0
2. Yoann Re (VT) def. #6 Justin Kronauge (OSU) 6-2, 6-4
3. #3 Steven Moneke (OSU) def. #100 Pedro Graber (VT) 6-3, 6-2
4. #38 Balazs Novak (OSU) def. Luka Somen (VT) 6-4, 6-0
5. Brandon Corace (VT) def. #77 Shuhei Uzawa (OSU) 7-6 (7), 6-4
6. Matt Allare (OSU) def. Patrick Daciek (VT) 6-3, 6-2
Finishing Order: 6, 2, 1, 3*, 4, 5
Doubles
1. Koniecko/Moneke (OSU) def. #20 Delgado de Robles/Somen (VT) 8-3
2. Allare/Kronauge (OSU) def. Corace/Graber (VT) 9-7
3. Daciek/Re (VT) def. #41Mike O’Connell/Novak (OSU) 8-6
Finishing Order: 3, 1, 2*
*clinching point
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