F | |
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(6) North Carolina | 13 |
Virginia Tech | 2 |
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. -- Luka Somen provided just the shot in arm the Virginia Tech men’s tennis team needed Saturday evening in the Hokies, 4-3, win over No. 35 Boise State. Tech snapped a three-match losing steak with the win and improved to 3-3 on the year. Boise State fell to 2-3 with the loss. The match was played at the Baseline Tennis Center on the University of Minnesota campus.
Tech, ranked No. 28 in the this week’s Intercollegiate Tennis Association poll, had suffered consecutive losses to No. 21 Pepperdine (4-3), No. 24 Michigan (4-2) and on Friday to No. 30 Minnesota (4-3). With Saturday’s match tied at 3-3, Somen (Jr., Karlovac, Croatia) upset 62nd-ranked Damian Hume, 6-3, 7-5, to secure the Tech win.
After Tech took the doubles point, the Broncos tied the match as Will Beck (Sr., Potomac, Md.) lost, 6-2, 6-4, at No. 5 versus Andrew Bettles. Tech briefly recaptured the lead when Patrick Daciek (Jr., Severna Park, Md.) upset 85th-ranked Filipp Pogostkin, 6-2, 6-4, at No. 2, but Boise State tied the match at 2-2 with Trpimir Kunjundzic’s (So., Zagreb, Croatia) tough, 2-6, 6-1, 6-4, loss in the No. 6 match to Nathan Sereke.
Corrado Degl’ Incerti Tocci (Jr., Reggio Emilia, Italy) gave Tech a 3-2 lead with his tight, 7-5, 4-6, 6-3, No. 4 victory over Jeff Mullen. Pedro Graber (r-Sr., Santiago, Chile) lost, 4-6, 7-6 (5), 6-2, versus Scott Sears at No. 3 to even the match at 3-3 and set up Somen’s clinching victory.
In doubles, Daciek/Sebastien Jacques (Sr., Magog, Quebec, Canada) won, 8-6, at No. 3 against Bettles/Pogostkin and Somen/Tocci clinched the first point with a, 8-6, win at No. 2 versus Mullen/Sereke. Beck/Graber dropped the No. 1 contest, 8-7 (1), to Hume/Sears.
Tech returns to the court on Fri., Feb. 11, when the Hokies travel to Charlottesville, Va., to play No. 1 Virginia at 6 p.m. (ET).
#28 Virginia Tech 4, #35 Boise State 3
Singles
1. Luka Somen (VT) def. #62 Damian Hume (BSU) 6-3, 7-5
2. Patrick Daciek (VT) def. #85 Filipp Pogostkin (BSU) 6-2, 6-4
3. Scott Sears (BSU) def. Pedro Graber (VT) 4-6, 7-6 (5), 6-2
4. Corrado Degl’ Incerti Tocci (VT) def. Jeff Mullen (BSU) 7-5, 4-6, 6-3
5. Andrew Bettles (BSU) def. Will Beck (VT) 6-2, 6-4
6. Nathan Sereke (UM) def. Trpimir Kujundzic (VT) 2-6, 6-1, 6-4
Order of finish: 5, 2, 6, 4, 5, 1*
Doubles
1. Hume/Sears (BSU) def. Beck/Graber (VT) 8-7 (1)
2. Somen/Tocci (VT) def. Mullen/Sereke (BSU) 8-6
3. Daciek/Sebastien Jacaques (VT) d. Bettles/Pogostkin (BSU) 8-6
Order of finish: 3, 2*, 1
*clinching point
For updates on Virginia Tech men's tennis, follow the Hokies on Twitter (@VT_MTennis).