March 6, 2016
Durham, N.C. – Christopher Eubanks, Daniel Yun and Carlos Benito captured critical points in singles Sunday for Georgia Tech, rallying the 34th-ranked Yellow Jackets past No. 57 Duke, 4-3, at the Ambler Tennis Stadium.
Tech, which improved to 8-4 overall this season and evened its ACC record at 1-1, won the doubles point in the contest but fell behind 3-1 after dropping singles matches on courts 3, 4 and 6.
Christopher Eubanks, ranked 12th in the nation, stopped the Jackets’ slide with a 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 win over 15th-ranked Nicolas Alvarez, getting Tech within 3-2. It was the second victory for the Tech sophomore from Atlanta over the Duke sophomore, and improved his spring record to 11-1.
Tech got another critical win from Yun, who needed a tiebreaker in the second set but earned a straight-set win, 6-3, 7-6 (5) over Ryan Dickerson on court 5 to knot the match at 3-3. The sophomore from Marietta had not played a match against an ACC team before this weekend, but came up with two victories.
Meanwhile, Benito rallied from a first-set loss to grab a 4-6, 6-2, 6-4 win over Catalin Mateas on court 2, giving the Yellow Jackets the match over the Blue Devils, who fell to 6-7 overall, 0-1 in the ACC. It was the fourth win in the last five matches for the junior from Madrid, Spain.
“It was great to get a solid win on the road in the ACC,” said Tech coach Kenny Thorne. “We got the doubles point today, but it was only by coming back from two breaks down at No. 3. Credit goes to D-Yun, Beni and Banks for stepping up in singles and playing fearlessly down the stretch. They were so strong mentally, and that’s what it takes to get things done in the ACC and especially on the road. One more road trip next weekend, then we get to play at home.”
In doubles, Nathan Rakitt and Andrew Li defeated Mateas and Dickerson, 6-3, on court 3 for their eighth straight win. Eubanks and Benito followed with a 6-3 win over Alvarez and Vincent Lin at No. 1 to secure the doubles point for Tech. The Jackets have won the doubles point in 10 of 12 matches this spring.
The Yellow Jackets return to action next weekend with another pair of road matches at Louisville (4 p.m. Friday) and N.C. State (noon Sunday).
#34 Georgia Tech 4, #57 Duke 3
Mar 6, 2016 at Durham, N.C. (Ambler Tennis Stadium)
Singles competition
1. #12 Christopher Eubanks (GT) def. #15 Nicolas Alvarez (DU) 4-6, 6-3, 6-4
2. Carlos Benito (GT) def. Catalin Mateas (DU) 4-6, 6-2, 6-4
3. Vincent Lin (DU) def. Andrew Li (GT) 6-2, 6-2
4. TJ Pura (DU) def. Cole Fiegel (GT) 6-1, 6-3
5. Daniel Yun (GT) def. Ryan Dickerson (DU) 6-3, 7-6 (7-5)
6. Daniel McCall (DU) def. Michael Kay (GT) 6-4, 7-5
Doubles competition
1. Christopher Eubanks/Carlos Benito (GT) def. Nicolas Alvarez/Vincent Lin (DU) 6-3
2. Daniel McCall/Jason Lapidus (DU) vs. #41 Casey Kay/Michael Kay (GT) 4-5, unfinished
3. Andrew Li/Nathan Rakitt (GT) def. Catalin Mateas/Ryan Dickerson (DU) 6-3
Match Notes:
Georgia Tech 8-4, 1-1 ACC; National ranking #34
Duke 6-7, 0-1 ACC; National ranking #57
Order of finish: Doubles (1,3); Singles (3,4,6,1,5,2)
Official: Sharon Wright T-2:41 A-202
