Jan. 10, 2015
THE FLATS – Only one match kept the Georgia Tech men’s tennis squad from a sweep of the Georgia Southern Eagles, as the Yellow Jackets began the 2015 spring season Saturday afternoon with a 6-1 win. Freshman Daniel Yun scored the clinching point with a 6-3, 6-0 singles win at the Ken Byers Tennis Complex in Atlanta.
Tech started the dual match with a 2-0 sweep of the doubles point, as junior Casey Kay and sophomore Cole Fiegel paced the Jackets with their 6-3 victory over the Eagles’ Christian Kerrigan and Alberto Codina Sala at the No. 3 spot. At the No. 1, senior Eduardo Segura and Carlos Benito clinched with a 6-3 win over Kyle Hoffman and Jose Eduardo Lopez. The third doubles match was ended upon Tech’s wrapping up the point.
As singles play began, all six Yellow Jackets won their first set. Sophomore Cole Fiegel was the first to finish off his opponent, winning 6-1, 6-1 at the No. 5 spot over Lopez. Freshman Christopher Eubanks defeated Hoffman minutes later, 6-2, 6-1 on court No. 2. This left Yun with the chance to clinch the match for the Jackets at No. 6, and he followed through with a 6-3, 6-0 straight-set victory over Nico de Groof.
“We have been talking about what kind of fight we are going to have throughout the whole season and I think they showed that, as I expected them to,” said head Coach Kenny Thorne. “Now we have got to get ready to stay mentally tough through the second match. Our goal is to keep the fight going and get our job done. So that’s our only focus right now.”
As the coaches agreed to play the dual match out after Georgia Tech had clinched the victory, freshman Michael Kay took advantage of the opportunity by securing the first spring singles victory of his career at the No. 3 spot. Kay defeated Georgia Southern’s Albert Codina Sala in two sets for a final score of 6-4, 6-0.
Benito took down Christian Kerrigan 6-2, 6-4 at the No. 4. The longest match of the day was won in a three-set battle between Segura and the Eagles’ Ristomatti Lanne. Segura won easily in the first set, but lost the second and third sets for a final score of 6-1, 5-7, 1-6.
The Yellow Jackets (1-0) will face the Mercer Bears at 5:30 p.m. in the back half of a doubleheader. Their victory in the first match of the day means that Georgia Tech has won three consecutive home openers in the Byers Complex, which opened at the beginning of 2013.
#75 Georgia Tech 6, Georgia Southern 1
Jan 10, 2015 at Atlanta, Ga. (Ken Byers Tennis Complex)
Singles competition
1. Ristomatti Lanne (GSO) def. Eduardo Segura (GT) 1-6, 7-5, 6-1
2. Christopher Eubanks (GT) def. Kyle Hoffman (GSO) 6-2, 6-1
3. Michael Kay (GT) def. Alberto Codina Sala (GSO) 6-2, 6-2
4. Carlos Benito (GT) def. Christian Kerrigan (GSO) 6-2, 6-4
5. Cole Fiegel (GT) def. Jose Eduardo Lopez (GSO) 6-1, 6-1
6. Daniel Yun (GT) def. Nico de Groof (GSO) 6-3, 6-0
Doubles competition
1. Eduardo Segura/Carlos Benito (GT) def. Kyle Hoffman/Jose Eduardo Lopez (GSO) 6-3
2. Michael Kay/Christopher Eubanks (GT) vs. Ristomatti Lanne/Nico de Groof (GSO) 3-4, unfinished
3. Casey Kay/Cole Fiegel (GT) def. Christian Kerrigan/Alberto Codina Sala (GSO) 6-3
Match Notes:
Georgia Southern 0-1
Georgia Tech 1-0; National ranking #75
Order of finish: Doubles (3,1); Singles (5,2,6,3,4,1)
Match played indoors
