Feb. 6, 2015
THE FLATS – Georgia Tech won the doubles point, but was unable to carry that momentum into singles and lost a 4-3 decision to 4th-ranked Georgia Friday night before a standing-room-only crowd at the Ken Byers Tennis Complex.
Georgia’s Nick Wood outlasted Tech sophomore Carlos Benito in three sets on court 5, 6-2, 5-7, 6-1, for the Bulldogs’ clinching point against the 75th-ranked Yellow Jackets (5-1), who lost their first match of the spring.
Tech hoped to repeat its January 19 performance against UGA, back when the Yellow Jackets won six of 10 matches against the then 8th-ranked Bulldogs at the MLK Invitational. Georgia (4-1), however, held off a gutsy effort from the upstart Yellow Jackets.
Tech jumped out to an early lead by winning the doubles point after the freshmen duo of Michael Kay and Christopher Eubanks defeated 53rd-ranked Nathan Pasha and Wayne Montgomery, 6-2 on court three. Sophomore Carlos Benito and senior Eduardo Segura knocked off the Bulldogs’ 16th-ranked pairing of Peter Oosterbaan and Ben Wagland, 6-2, on court one.
Tech’s No. 2 doubles team of Nathan Rakitt and Cole Fiegel were leading 5-3 over UGA’s 34th-ranked Eric Diaz and Austin Smith when the doubles point was clinched.
“In doubles, we came out and executed they way we had hoped to.” said head coach Kenny Thorne. “But we didn’t carry the momentum into the singles as well as I had hoped.”
The Bulldogs turned momentum back in their direction after doubles, getting straight-set wins from 32nd-ranked Wayne Montgomery, 6-3, 6-2 over Nathan Rakitt on court 1, and 15th-ranked Nathan Pasha, 6-1, 7-5 over Eduardo Segura on court 3. Tech tied the match, however, when sophomore Cole Fiegel earned a 6-3, 7-6 (7-1) win over Peter Oosterbaan on court 6.
Georgia’s Ben Wagland defeated freshmen Michael Kay, 6-4, 6-4, on court four to put UGA up 3-2.
The match came down to No. 5 spot, as Wood, ranked No. 101, pulled away from Benito in the third set to decide the match.
Yellow Jacket freshmen Christopher Eubanks and 11th-ranked Austin Smith played out their match on court 2, and Eubanks scored his second win of the spring against a top-20 opponent in a three-set battle, 7-5, 5-7, 7-6 (7-4).
“That’s a good win for him [Chris],” said Thorne. “I think he did not play as loose as he could have played, but he finished the match very well. It was a good way to finish for the entire team.
“Credit goes to Georgia, they were a better team than us today. But, we have a good shot to get a lot better this season. Our guys believe in themselves, and they are doing some good things. But they are not happy right now. So we are going to go to work and get ready for Auburn.”
The Yellow Jackets return to action Feb. 15 to take on 38th-ranked Auburn in their first road match of the spring.
#4 Georgia 4, #75 Georgia Tech 3
February 6, 2015, at Atlanta, Ga. (Ken Byers Tennis Complex)
Singles competition
1. #32 Wayne Montgomery (UGA) def. #49 Nathan Rakitt (GT) 6-3, 6-2
2. Christopher Eubanks (GT) def. #11 Austin Smith (UGA) 7-5, 5-7, 7-6 (7-4)
3. #15 Nathan Pasha (UGA) def. Eduardo Segura (GT) 6-1, 7-5
4. Ben Wagland (UGA) def. Michael Kay (GT) 6-4, 6-4
5. #101 Nick Wood (UGA) def. Carlos Benito (GT) 6-2, 5-7, 6-1
6. Cole Fiegel (GT) def. Peter Oosterbaan (UGA) 6-3, 7-6 (7-1)
Doubles competition 1. Carlos Benito/Eduardo Segura (GT) def. #16 Peter Oosterbaan/Ben Wagland (UGA) 6-2
2. Nathan Rakitt/Cole Fiegel (GT) vs. #34 Eric Diaz/Austin Smith (UGA) 5-3, unfinished
3. Michael Kay/Christopher Eubanks (GT) def. #53 Nathan Pasha/Wayne Montgomery (UGA) 6-2
Match Notes:
Georgia 4-1; National ranking #4
Georgia Tech 5-1; National ranking #75
Order of finish: Doubles (1,3); Singles (1,3,6,4,5,2)
Match played indoors
