Jan. 10, 2015
THE FLATS – Freshmen Christopher Eubanks and sophomore Carlos Benito picked up straight-set wins Saturday evening as Georgia Tech handled Mercer, 7-0, to complete an opening-day sweep of a men’s tennis double-header at the Ken Byers Tennis Complex.
The Yellow Jackets (2-0) defeated Georgia Southern, 6-1, earlier in the day. Over the two matches, the Yellow Jackets gave away only four sets in matches that were completed and won all four completed doubles matches.
Sophomore Cole Fiegel and junior Casey Kay won their second consecutive doubles match of the day on court No. 3 to secure the doubles point for the Yellow Jackets, downing Arnav Mohanty and Arsav Mohanty, 6-2. Earlier, Michael Kay and Eubanks partnered to win 6-3 over Austin Emmet and Oliver Snaider on court No. 2. The third doubles match was ended upon Tech’s wrapping up the point.
Freshman Elijah Melendez was the first to win his singles match, 6-2, 6-0 at the No. 6 spot over Ruben Vanoppen. Eubanks beat Mercer’s Anderson Scarpa, 6-3, 6-2, at the No. 2 to leave the Jackets on the edge of victory. Only minutes later, Benito locked up a 6-1, 6-0 win against Manuel de Luis at No. 4, and the victory along with it. Michael Kay battled back from a deficit in the first set to defeat the Bears’ Mohanty, 7-5, 6-2.
Fiegel and senior Eduardo Segura had both lost their opening sets but won the second, and were into their third sets by this time. Fiegel left nothing to chance and won his third set, 6-2. Segura outlasted Snaider, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, to complete the sweep for the Yellow Jackets.
“I was glad to see Eddie come back after a tough one and fight through till the very end,” said head coach Kenny Thorne. “Our freshmen stepped up and performed well on the court. As did both guys that came in at the No. 6 spot for us [Daniel Yun and Elijah Melendez] with Nathan Rakitt being out. That’s what we need. I think we have got plenty to work on. But we are going to be tested next weekend. We have got the best teams in the country coming in.”
Tech’s next competition will be the MLK Invitational next weekend, Jan. 17-19, at the Ken Byers Tennis Complex.
#75 Georgia Tech 7, Mercer 0
Jan 10, 2015 at Atlanta, Ga. (Ken Byers Tennis Complex)
Singles competition
1. Eduardo Segura (GT) def. Oliver Snaider (MER) 4-6, 6-4, 6-3
2. Christopher Eubanks (GT) def. Anderson Scarpa (MER) 6-3, 6-2
3. Michael Kay (GT) def. Arnav Mohanty (MER) 7-5, 6-2
4. Carlos Benito (GT) def. Manuel de Luis (MER) 6-1, 6-0
5. Cole Fiegel (GT) def. Sam Philp (MER) 3-6, 7-6, 6-2
6. Elijah Melendez (GT) def. Ruben Vanoppen (MER) 6-2, 6-0
Doubles competition
1. Eduardo Segura/Carlos Benito (GT) vs. Manuel de Luis/Ruben Vanoppen (MER) 3-4, unfinished
2. Michael Kay/Christopher Eubanks (GT) def. Austin Emmet/Oliver Snaider (MER) 6-3
3. Cole Fiegel/Casey Kay (GT) def. Arnav Mohanty/Arsav Mohanty (MER) 6-2
Match Notes:
Mercer 0-1
Georgia Tech 2-0; National ranking #75
Order of finish: Doubles (2,3); Singles (6,2,4,3,5,1)
Match played indoors
