Hokies wrap up final rounds at Blue-Gray Classic

Tech finishes fourth at event

February 25, 2017

MONTGOMERY, Ala. – The Virginia Tech men’s tennis team dropped a pair of decisions on Saturday at the Blue-Gray National Tennis Classic. Tech fell to No. 46 Rice,4-0 before faltering 4-2 against Auburn later in the day.

Tech’s match against the Owls began on Friday afternoon with the doubles matches with Rice securing the point with 6-0 wins on courts one and three.

The two teams finished up the contes on Saturday morning with the singles matches. Rice scored the three points needed to clinch the team victory in the middle of the lineup. Jake Hansen defeated Mitch Harper 6-1, 6-2 at three while Eric Rutledge dispatched Jason Kros 6-2, 6-0 at five. The Hokies 97th-ranked Henrik Korsgaard battled David Warren to three sets with Korsgaard taking the first 6-2. The Owls player came back to win the next two sets 6-2, 6-1.

In the second match of the day, the Hokies played a close one with Auburn. Tech got off to a strong start, winning the doubles point as Harper and Alexandre Ribeiro paired up for a 6-3 win over Edward Nguyen and Olle Thestrup. Kros and Korsgaard matched up on three to defeat Carles Sarrio and Brandon Laubser 6-2.

The Tigers evened the match with a win at two as Sarrio defeated Ribeiro 6-2, 6-1. Tech reclaimed the advantage with Mesmer, who won the tournament sportsmanship award, knocking off Thestrup 6-2, 6-4 at five.

Tech battled in the remaining matches, going to three sets in the other four, but the Tigers held on for the wins. Harper took on Conner Huertas at three, dropping the first set 6-3 before rallying to win the second in with a decisive 6-1 margin. Huertas responded to secure a point for the Auburn win, 6-4. In the four, Kros forced Nguyen to three. After giving up the opening 6-2, Kros came back to win the second 6-2, but Nguyen secured it 6-3 in the third.

At the one, Tech’s 49th-ranked Jai Corbett squared off against 59th-ranked Hinnisdaels. The Tigers’ player won the opening set 6-3, but Corbett came back in the second 6-2. The deciding set was tied at 5-5 before Hinnisdaels won the final two points 7-5 to give the Tigers a needed point for the win.

The Hokies will be back on the court Saturday, March 4 hosting Duke in a 1 p.m. game at Burrows-Burleson Tennis Center.

Virginia Tech 0 | #46 Rice 4
Singles
1. #49 Jai Corbett (VT) vs. Jamie Malik (RU) 3-6, 6-1, 4-4 dnf
2. Alexandre Ribeiro (VT) vs. Tommy Bennett (RU) 2-6, 7-6 dnf
3. Jake Hansen (RU) def. Mitch Harper (VT) 6-1, 6-2
4. David Warren (RU) def. #97 Henrik Korsgaard (VT) 2-6, 6-2, 6-1
5. Eric Rutledge (RU) def. Jason Kros (VT) 6-2, 6-0
6. Freddy Mesmer (VT) vs. Emanuel Llamas (RU) 4-6, 0-2 dnf

Doubles
1. #12 Bennett/Warren (RU) def. Abraham Asaba/Corbett (VT) 6-0
2. Harper/Ribeiro (VT) vs. Oscar Janglin/Llamas (RU) 2-3 dnf
3. Hansen/Rutledge (RU) def. Kros/Korsgaard (VT) 6-0

Virginia Tech 2 | Auburn 4
Singles
1. #59 Maxime Hinnisdaels (AU) def. #49 Jai Corbett (VT) 6-3, 2-6, 7-5
2. Carles Sarrio (AU) def. Alexandre Ribeiro (VT) 6-2, 6-1
3. Conner Huertas (AU) def. Mitch Harper (VT) 6-3, 1-6, 6-4
4. Edward Nguyen (AU) def. Jason Kros (VT) 6-2, 2-6, 6-3
5. Freddy Mesmer (VT) def. Olle Thestrup (AU) 6-2, 6-4
6. Feliksas Sakalauskas (VT) vs. Brandon Laubser (AU) 4-6, 6-2, 5-4 dnf

Doubles
1. #17 Huertas/Hinnisdaels (AU) def. Abraham Asaba/Corbett (VT) 6-4
2. Harper/Ribeiro (VT) def. Nguyen/Thestrup (AU) 6-3
3. Kros/Korsgaard (VT) def. Sarrio/Laubser (AU) 6-2

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