April 18, 2010
ATLANTA – Miguel Muguruza rallied from a set down and from a 4-2 deficit in set three to defeat Patrick Daciek in the deciding match, 3-6, 6-3, 7-5, lifting 26th-ranked Georgia Tech past No. 21 Virginia Tech, 4-3, Sunday afternoon at the Bill Moore Tennis Center.
The win stopped a three-match losing streak for Georgia Tech (16-6, 7-4 ACC), gave the Yellow Jackets some momentum and the fourth seed heading into this week’s Atlantic Coast Conference Championship in Cary, N.C. The Hokies fell to 14-6 overall and 7-4 in the ACC, and will receive the fifth seed.
Muguruza, playing at the No. 4 position, found himself in the same situation as he did a week ago at Duke, with the team score tied 3-3 and playing the deciding match, He lost to Dylan Arnould in three sets in that match, but this time found the resolve to rally and win. The junior from Wesley Chapel, Fla., trailed 4-2 in the third set and broke Daciek to tie the set at 4-4. After both players held serve in the next three games, Muguruza broke Daciek again at 5-5, then served out the match.
“It feels so good. I was down 4-2, and all the fans were supporting me to win,” said Muguruza. “I just tried to play my game and not wait for [Daciek] to make mistakes. I had the good fortune to make it work. It was great to close it out this way in our last home match of the year. It was great to have all the fans there watching me play the last match. It’s hard for me to lose at that point because they’re all pushing me through. All my teammates wanted me to win so badly, and it was great to have them behind me.”
The Yellow Jackets lost the doubles point, but came out firing in singles to take a 3-1 lead after winning matches at No. 1, 2 and 6 in straight sets. All-American Guillermo Gomez cruised past Yoann Re, 6-4, 6-2, and Kevin King defeated Luka Somen, 6-1, 6-1, to give Tech a 2-1 lead. Spir extended the margin to 3-1 with a 6-3, 7-5 triumph over Sebastian Jacques.
Virginia Tech responded with wins at No. 5 and 3, respectively, as Will Beck downed the Jackets’ freshman Magin Ortiga, 7-6, 6-2, and Corrado Degl Incerti Tocci defeated the Jackets’ Eliot Potvin, 7-6, 7-5, tying the match at 3-3 and setting the stage for Muguruza’s triumph.
“To beat a team ranked 21st after losing the doubles point means a lot to this team going into the ACC Championship,” said head coach Kenny Thorne. “Every team we play now will be ranked 20th or better. I was proud of how Kevin and Miguel bounced back after yesterday’s tough matches, and I was proud that Guillermo could follow his big win yesterday with another one today. Juan finishing off his match in straight sets was very important.”
The Hokies held on to win the doubles point after falling behind in the third match pitting Georgia Tech’s Dean O’Brien and Ortiga against Somen and Tocci at No. 3. The Virginia Tech tandem blew a 4-1 lead and fell behind 7-6, then rallied for a 9-7 win to clinch the point. Re and Jacques held off Potvin and Ryan Smith, 8-4, at No. 2 before Georgia Tech’s No. 1 pair of King and Spir defeated Beck and Daciek, 9-7.
Tennis Match Results
Virginia Tech vs Georgia Tech
Apr 18, 2010 at Atlanta, Ga.
#26 Georgia Tech 4, #21 Virginia Tech 3
Singles competition
1. #8 Guillermo Gomez (GT) def. #60 Yoann Re (VT) 6-4, 6-2
2. #90 Kevin King (GT) def. #66 Luka Somen (VT) 6-1, 6-1
3. Corrado Tocci (VT) def. Eliot Potvin (GT) 7-6 (7-5), 7-5
4. Miguel Muguruza (GT) def. Patrick Daciek (VT) 3-6, 6-3, 7-5
5. Will Beck (VT) def. Magin Ortiga (GT) 7-6 (7-5), 6-2
6. Juan Spir (GT) def. #123 Sebastien Jacques (VT) 6-3, 7-5
Doubles competition
1. Juan Spir/Kevin King (GT) def. Will Beck/Patrick Daciek (VT) 9-7
2. Yoann Re/Sebastien Jacques (VT) def. Eliot Potvin/Ryan Smith (GT) 8-4
3. Luka Somen/Corrado Tocci (VT) def. Dean O’Brien/Magin Ortiga (GT) 9-7
Match Notes:
Virginia Tech 14-6, 7-4 ACC; National ranking #21
Georgia Tech 16-6, 7-4 ACC; National ranking #26
Order of finish: Doubles (2,1,3); Singles (1,2,6,5,3,4)
T-4:00
