Hokies drop close 4-3 decision to NC State in ACC first round

Wolfpack holds off Tech in Rome, Georgia

April 27, 2017

ROME, Ga. – The eighth-seeded Virginia Tech men’s tennis team battled ninth-seeded NC State, but the Wolfpack held on to win 4-3 on Thursday evening in the opening round of the 2017 ACC Men’s Tennis Championship in Rome, Georgia.

NC State (14-14) got out to the early lead after getting the doubles point. The Hokies (10-13) won the match at one where 43rd-ranked Jai Corbett and Henrik Korsgaard defeated Michael Ogden and Alexis Galarneau, 6-2. State won the match on two, but the Hokies gave them a fight at three before Igor and Ivan Saveljic held on in a tiebreak to defeat Jason Kros and Freddy Mesmer 7-6(5).

The Wolfpack took a 2-0 lead with a win at six, but Mitch Harper got the Hokies on the board at two. He defeated 74th-ranked Nick Horton 7-6(5), 6-2.

Tech evened the match with a win at five where Kros took three sets to knock of Ogden. After winning the opening set 6-3, Kros faltered in the second 6-3. He rallied for the third to take it 6-2.

Virginia Tech took its first lead at four with Alexandre Ribeiro defeating Georgiy Malyshev. Ribeiro won the first set 6-2, but fell in the second 6-0. He came back strong in the third to win it 6-4.

NC State quickly knotted it back up after winning at three sending the deciding match down to court one where No. 113 Corbett took No. 86 Galarneau to three. Corbett took the first set in a tiebreak 7-6(6), but the Wolfpack player proved too strong, rallying to win the next two 6-3, 6-3.

NCAA selections will be made next week with team, singles and doubles being chosen.

Singles
1. #86 Alexis Galarneau (ST) def. #113 Jai Corbett (VT) 7-6(6), 6-3, 6-3
2. Mitch Harper (VT) def. #74 Nick Horton (ST) 7-6(5), 6-2
3. Igor Saveljic (ST) def. Henrik Korsgaard (VT) 6-2, 2-6, 6-4
4. Alexandre Ribeiro (VT) def. Georgiy Malyshev (ST) 6-2, 0-6, 6-4
5. Jason Kros (VT) def. Michael Ogden (ST) 6-3, 3-6, 6-2
6. Ivan Saveljic (ST) def. Feliksas Sakalauskas (VT) 6-4, 7-6(1)
Order of finish: 6,2,5,4,3,1

Doubles
1. #43 Corbett/Korsgaard (VT) def. Ogden/Galarneau (ST) 6-2
2. Horton/Malyshev (ST) def. Harper/Ribeiro (VT) 6-3
3. Igor Saveljic/Ivan Saveljic (ST) def. Kros/Freddy Mesmer (VT) 7-6(5)
Order of finish: 1,2,3

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