Tulsa Men’s Tennis Hangs on for 4-3 Win Over UCF
TULSA, Okla. – The 31st-ranked Tulsa men’s tennis team recovered from a rough start to hang on for a 4-3 victory over 63rd-ranked on Saturday afternoon at the Case Tennis Center. The Hurricane improves to 14-6 on the season, while the Knights fall to 9-7.
Tulsa fell behind early, losing the doubles point as they managed only one win in the No. 1 position. Philip Stephens and Ashley Watling, the 30th-ranked team in the nation, made quick work of Marc Rocafort and Blaze Schwartz, 8-4, in the top flight to win their 20th match of the season.
Marko Ballok and Alastair Barnes fell to Johan Beigart and Joe Delinks, 8-3, in the No. 2 spot, and Marcelo Arevalo and Grant Ive dropped their first match of the season with an 8-4 loss to Claudio Romano and Brock Sakey in the third position.
The Hurricane bounced back in singles with Philip Stephens breezing past Blaze Schwartz, 6-2, 6-2, in the No. 3 position to tie the score at 1-1. regained the lead as Marc Rocafort upset 55th-ranked Marcelo Arevalo, 6-3, 7-6 (4), in the No. 1 flight, handing Arevalo his first loss of the season.
The seesaw battle continued with Marko Ballok tying the score at 2-2 with a 7-5, 6-2 win over Nino Hassandedic in No. 6 singles. Grant Ive gave Tulsa its first lead at 3-2 with a tough 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 decision against Johan Beigart in the No. 5 position.
Alastair Barnes clinched the TU victory with an impressive come-from-behind 3-6, 7-6 (3), 6-2 win over Claudio Romano in the No. 4 position, snapping a four-match losing streak in the process.
Brock Sakey made the final score 4-3 with an upset victory over 50th-ranked Ashley Watling, 6-3, 1-6, 6-4 in No. 2 singles.
Tulsa hits the road next week for a pair of matches against No. 5 Texas at 6:00 p.m. Wednesday, and No. 39 Rice at 1:00 p.m. Friday.
#31 Tulsa 4, #63 3
Doubles (Order: 1, 2, 3)
1. #30 Stephens/Watling () def. Rocafort/Schwartz (), 8-4
2. Beigart/Delinks () def. Ballok/Barnes (), 8-3
3. Romano/Sakey () def. Arevalo/Ive (), 8-4
Singles (Order: 3, 1, 6, 5, 4, 2)
1. Marc Rocafort () def. #55 Marcelo Arevalo (), 6-3, 7-6 (4)
2. Brock Sakey () def. #50 Ashley Watling (), 6-3, 1-6, 6-4
3. Philip Stephens () def. Blaze Schwartz (), 6-2, 6-2
4. Alastair Barnes () def. Claudio Romano (), 3-6, 7-6 (3), 6-2
5. Grant Ive () def. Johan Beigart (), 6-4, 4-6, 6-3
6. Marko Ballok () def. Nino Hassandedic (), 7-5, 6-2
Updated 04-04-2010
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