Sept. 12, 2014
Complete results, draw and schedule | Photo Gallery
Athens, Ga. – Georgia Tech went 4-2 in singles Friday, and two of its four doubles teams advanced to the round of 16 on the opening day pf the Southern Intercollegiate Men’s Tennis Championships at the Dan MaGill Tennis Center.
Freshman Christopher Eubanks took a straight-set win over Winthrop’s Dylan Comerford in his first collegiate match, while sophomore Carlos Benito also won in straight sets over Vanderbilt’s Jeffrey Offerdahl in Division I singles. Senior Eduardo Segura took a three-set victory over Winthrop’s Peter Nagovnak, while freshman Elijah Melendez won in straight sets over David Hager of Davidson in Division II.
Junior Nathan Rakitt, seeded No. 3, had a bye in Division I, and freshman Michael Kay had a bye in Division II, and both will play their first matches Saturday in the round of 32.
“Our guys competed well overall today,” said head coach Kenny Thorne. “We need to relax and be more poised at critical times in matches. Our service percentage went down, and our games plans altered at some critical times today. We can fix that for tomorrow.”
Three Tech doubles teams had byes into the round of 32 in Division I doubles, and two of the three Yellow Jacket duos won their round of 32 matches. Eubanks and Rakitt teamed for an 8-3 win over Vandy’s Pen Binet and Rhys Johnson, while Fiegel and Kay knocked off sixth-seeded Aron Hiltzik and Aleks Vukic of Illinois, 8-6.
The Yellow Jackets top team of Benito and Segura, ranked 20th in the nation and seeded first in the SIC, were upset in a tiebreaker, 8-7 (5), by Georgia’s Peter Bertran and Nick Wood.
“We have an opportunity to grow mentally with each match if we think about the right things under pressure,” Thorne added. “This is a good, smart group of guys. They fought well today, and I’m looking forward to seeing them compete tomorrow.”
Saturday’s schedule includes round of 16 singles in Division I and II, round of 16 doubles in Division I and II and consolation matches in both singles divisions. The SIC concludes Monday with championship matches in both singles and doubles divisions.
SOUTHERN INTERCOLLEGIATE CHAMPIONSHIPSDan Magill Tennis Complex, Athens, Ga.
FRIDAY, SEPT. 12 RESULTS
Division I Singles – Round of 64 Christopher Eubanks (Georgia Tech) def. Dylan Comerford (Winthrop), 6-0, 7-6(3) Carlos Benito (Georgia Tech) def. Jeffrey Offerdahl (Vanderbilt), 6-3, 6-3 Nick Papac (Oklahoma) def. Cole Fiegel (Georgia Tech), 6-4, 3-6, 7-6(5) #76 [6] Nathan Rakitt (Georgia Tech) bye
Division II Singles – Round of 64 Marek Pe?ička (Armstrong State) def. Daniel Yun (Georgia Tech), 6-7(4), 6-3, 6-1 Eduardo Segura (Georgia Tech) def. Peter Nagovnak (Winthrop), 2-6, 6-2, 6-3 Elijah Melendez (Georgia Tech) def. David Hager (Davidson), 6-3, 6-4 Michael Kay (Georgia Tech) bye
Division I Doubles – Round of 64 #20 [1] Carlos Benito/Eduardo Segura (Georgia Tech) bye [3] Christopher Eubanks/Nathan Rakitt (Georgia Tech) bye Cole Fiegel/Michael Kay (Georgia Tech) bye
Division I Doubles – Round of 32 Peter Bertran/Nick Wood (Georgia) def. #20 [1] Carlos Benito/Eduardo Segura (Georgia Tech), 8-7 (5) [3] Christopher Eubanks/Nathan Rakitt (Georgia Tech) def. Pen Binet/Rhys Johnson (Vanderbilt), 8-3 Cole Fiegel/Michael Kay (Georgia Tech) def. [6] Aron Hiltzik/Aleks Vukic (Illinois), 8-6
Division II Doubles – Rounds of 32 Elijah Melendez/Daniel Yun (Georgia Tech) def. Blake Daniel/Walker Sims (Navy), 8-4
Division II Doubles – Rounds of 16 Parker Evertsen/Jose Gracia (Florida State) def. Elijah Melendez/Daniel Yun (Georgia Tech), 8-2
SATURDAY, SEPT. 13 SCHEDULE
Division I Singles – Round of 32 #76 [6] Nathan Rakitt (Georgia Tech) vs. Pablo Gor (Armstrong State). 10:30 a.m. Christopher Eubanks (Georgia Tech) vs. Axel Alvarez Llamas, 1 p.m. Carlos Benito (Georgia Tech) vs. [7] Nick Wood (Georgia), 1:30 p.m.
Division I Singles – Consolation Cole Fiegel (Georgia Tech) vs. Simon Pritchard (Kennesaw State), 5 p.m.
Division II Singles – Consolation Daniel Yun (Georgia Tech) vs. Zack Zapatero (Davidson), 2:30 p.m.
Division II Singles – Round of 32 Michael Kay (Georgia Tech) vs. Marc Hofer (Lander), 11:30 p.m. Eduardo Segura (Georgia Tech) def. Zack Lewis (College of Charleston), 12:30 p.m. Elijah Melendez (Georgia Tech) vs. Peter Bertran (Georgia), 12:30 p.m.
Division I Doubles – Round of 16 [3] Christopher Eubanks/Nathan Rakitt (Georgia Tech) vs. Bartosz Sawicki/Luis Valero (Tennessee), 8 a.m. Cole Fiegel/Michael Kay (Georgia Tech) vs. Gus Benson/Kevin Lai (Kentucky), 8 a.m.
About Georgia Tech Men’s Tennis
Georgia Tech’s men’s tennis team is in its 17th year under head coach Kenny Thorne. The Yellow Jackets have played in the NCAA Championship 14 times. Connect with Georgia Tech Men’s Tennis on social media by liking their Facebook page, or following on Twitter (@GT_MTEN). For more information on Tech men’s tennis, visit Ramblinwreck.com.
