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NORMAN, Okla. – The 37th-ranked Virginia Tech men’s tennis team overcame a 0-2 deficit to defeat 24th-ranked Tulsa 4-3 in the consolation match of the ITA Kick-Off Weekend at Gregg Wadley Indoor Tennis Pavilion in Norman, Okla.

Tulsa jumped out to an early 1-0 lead after clinching the doubles point with wins in No. 1 and No. 2 doubles. The Golden Hurricane’s duo of Japie De Klerk and Alejandro Espejo notched the first win of the day for Tulsa with a win in No. 2 doubles over Tech’s Hunter Koontz and Joao Monteiro 6-2. Clifford Marsland and Dylan McCloskey’s 6-3 victory over the 23rd-ranked pair of Andreas Bjerrehus and Amerigo Contini in No. 1 doubles gave Tulsa the point.

In the unfinished No. 3 doubles match, Virginia Tech’s Jai Corbett and Florian Nicoud trailed Tulsa’s Carlos Bautista and Daniel Santos 5-3.

McCloskey then put Tulsa up 2-0 with a 6-2, 6-4 victory over Virginia Tech’s 122nd-ranked Aaron Gomez in No. 5 singles. In No. 1 singles, 26th-ranked Contini put the Hokies on the board with a win over De Klerk in straight sets 6-3, 6-3.

Tech’s Nicoud tied the match at 2-2, as he defeated Tulsa’s Daniel Santos 6-4, 6-1 in No. 6 singles.

Tulsa earned back the lead with a win in No. 2 singles. Marsland used a second set tiebreaker to top Virginia Tech’s 60th-ranked Bjerrehus in straight sets 6-3, 6-5 (7-4).

Monteiro’s 6-5, 6-3 victory over Espejo in No. 4 singles put the teams back in a deadlock at 3-3.

In the final, deciding match, Virginia Tech’s Koontz came from behind to top 71st-ranked Bautista in No. 3 singles. Bautista took the first set 6-4, but Koontz grabbed the second set 6-1 and then sealed the victory for the Hokies with a 6-0 win in the third set.

The Hokies will be back on the court February 2 at 11 a.m. as they travel to University Park, Pa. to take on the Penn State Nittany Lions.

Singles
1. #26 Amerigo Contini (VT) def. Japie De Klerk (TU) 6-3, 6-3
2. Clifford Marsland (TU) def. #60 Andreas Bjerrehus (VT) 6-3, 6-5 (7-4)
3. Hunter Koontz (VT) def. #71 Carlos Bautista (TU) 4-6, 6-1, 6-0
4. Joao Monteiro (VT) def. Alejandro Espejo (TU) 6-5, 6-3
5. Dylan McCloskey (TU) def. #122 Aaron Gomez (VT) 6-2, 6-4
6. Florian Nicoud (VT) def. Daniel Santos (TU) 6-4, 6-1
Order of Finish: 5,1,6,2,4,3*

Doubles
1. Clifford Marsland/Dylan McCloskey (TU) def. #23 Andreas Bjerrehus/Amerigo Contini (VT) 6-3
2. Japie De Klerk/Alejandro Espejo (TU) def. Hunter Koontz/Joao Monteiro (VT) 6-2
3. Jai Corbett/Florian Nicoud (VT) vs. Carlos Bautista/Daniel Santos (TU) 3-5 (unfinished)
Order of Finish: 2,1*

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