January 29, 2011
Michigan defeats Tech, 4-2, at ITA Kick-off Weekend
Hokies fall to 2-2

BLACKSBURG, Va. -- The Virginia Tech men’s tennis team lost, 4-2, Saturday afternoon to No. 24 Michigan in a consolation match at the Intercollegiate Tennis Association’s Kick-off Weekend being played at the Sheffield Tennis Center on the Duke University campus. The event features 60 teams playing in 15 regionals across the nation that will battle for the right to advance to the ITA National Team Indoor Championships on Feb. 18-20 in Seattle, Wash.

Virginia Tech (2-2), ranked No. 25 in this week’s ITA national poll, won the doubles point to open the match, however the Hokies dropped three of the five completed singles matches.

After dropping the doubles point, Michigan quickly took the lead in singles as Tech’s Corrado Degl’ Incerti Tocci (Jr., Reggio Emilia, Italy) was blanked by Shaun Bernstein, 6-0, 6-0, at No. 4 and Lucas Oliveira (So., Sao Paulo, Brazil) dropped his No. 6 match, 6-2, 6-4, against Barrett Franks. Tech briefly evened the contest as Will Beck (Sr., Potomac, Md.) won, 7-6, 6-4, at No. 5 versus Chris Cha, but the Wolverines moved ahead, 3-2, as Patrick Daciek (Jr., Severna Park, Md.) lost the No. 2 match, 7-5, 6-0, to 35th-ranked Jason Jung.

Michigan clinched the match as Luka Somen (Jr., Karlovac, Croatia) lost, 6-2, 7-5, at No. 1 to Evan King. Pedro Graber (r-Sr., Santiago, Chile) led Justin Rossi, 4-6, 6-2, 5-2, when the match was halted once the Wolverines had clinched the win.

The Hokies took the doubles point to open the match. Somen/Tocci dropped the No. 1 contest to the 28th-ranked pair of Jung/King, 8-3, before Beck/Graber evened things up with their, 8-3, win at No. 2 against Bernstein/Cha. Daciek/Sebastien Jacques (Sr., Magog, Quebec, Canada) won the clinching match at No. 3 match, 8-5, versus Alex Buzzi/Rossi.

Tech returns to the court on Feb. 4 when the Hokies travel to Minneapolis, Minn. to play No. 33 Minnesota on Feb. 4 at 6 p.m., and will remain there for a Feb. 5 contest at 3 p.m., versus No. 42 Boise State.

#24 Michigan 4, #25 Virginia Tech 2
Singles
1. Evan King (UM) def. Luka Somen (VT) 6-2, 7-5
2. #35 Jason Jung (UM) def. Patrick Daciek (VT) 7-5, 6-0
3. Pedro Graber (VT) led Justin Rossi (UM) 4-6, 6-2, 5-2 DNF
4. Shaun Bernstein (UM) def. Corrado Degl’ Incerti Tocci (VT) 6-0, 6-0
5. Will Beck (VT) def. Chris Cha (UM) 7-6, 6-4
6. Barrett Franks (UM) def. Lucas Oliveira (VT) 6-2, 6-4
Order of finish: 4, 6, 5, 2, 1*

Doubles

1. #28 Jung/King (UM) def. Somen/Tocci (VT) 8-3
2. Beck/Graber (VT) def. Bernstein/Cha (UM) 8-3
3. Daciek/Sebastien Jacaques (VT) def. Alex Buzzi/Rossi (UM) 8-5
Order of finish: 1, 2, 3*

*clinching point

For updates on Virginia Tech men's tennis, follow the Hokies on Twitter (@VT_MTennis).

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