THE FLATS – Georgia Tech pushed four matches to a deciding third set before coming up short in a 4-1 loss to No. 18 Georgia, Sunday at Ken Byers Tennis Complex.
“I never doubt the fight of our guys but we simply have to play a bit more poised,” said head coach Kenny Thorne. “We played well enough to win but not well enough long enough. I have already received evaluations from a lot of my guys on their matches which focus on improvements. That means it is a fact that we will improve and be a better team each week. I love coaching these guys and could not be more behind them.”
Playing its second top-20 team in as many weeks, Georgia Tech came out firing in doubles, as the senior pairing of Chris Yun and Carlos Divar shut out Robert Loeb and Erik Grevelius of UGA, 6-0, to improve to 3-1 together on the year. But the Bulldogs took the next two matches, with No. 17 Phiilip Henning and Blake Croyder taking a 6-3 decision over Andres Martin and Keshav Chopra, before Tyler Zink and Trent Bryde clinched the doubles point with a 6-2 win over Pablo Schelcher and Marcus McDaniel.
The Jackets fell behind early in singles before Yun put them on the board, gutting out a 6-1, 3-6, 6-2 win over Loeb. After falling behind early on court three, Schelcher came roaring back, evening things up with Zink after two. Schelcher was down 0-3 in the third set but kept himself in the match before Zink was eventually able to pull away and clinch the win for Georgia.
After being down in the first set, McDaniel picked up a 6-2 win in the second and was up 3-0 in the third before the match ended unfinished. Tech also had a battle going over on court one, where Martin and No. 57 Bryde went unfinished late in the third set. And Cole Gromley put up a great fight against No. 12 Henning, but lost in a tough second-set tiebreaker.
Tech will be back in action on Friday, Feb. 7 to face another in-state rival, Georgia State, at 5 p.m. at Ken Byers Tennis Complex.
#18 Georgia 4, Georgia Tech 1
Singles competition
- Andres Martin (GT) vs. #57 Trent Bryde (UGA) 6-4, 2-6, 3-5, unfinished
- #12 Philip Henning (UGA) def. Cole Gromley (GT) 6-4, 7-6 (10-8)
- Tyler Zink (UGA) def. Pablo Schelcher (GT) 2-6, 6-2, 6-3
- Marcus McDaniel (GT) vs. Erik Grevelius (UGA) 4-6, 6-3, 3-0, unfinished
- Chris Yun (GT) def. Robert Loeb (UGA) 6-1, 3-6, 6-2
- #88 Blake Croyder (UGA) def. Carlos Divar (GT) 6-1, 6-2
Doubles competition
- Tyler Zink/Trent Bryde (UGA) def. Pablo Schelcher/Marcus McDaniel (GT) 6-2
- #17 Philip Henning/Blake Croyder (UGA) def. Andres Martin/Keshav Chopra (GT) 6-3
- Carlos Divar/Chris Yun (GT) def. Robert Loeb/Erik Grevelius (UGA) 6-0
Match Notes:
Georgia 3-1; National ranking #18
Georgia Tech 3-2
Order of finish: Doubles (3,2,1); Singles (6,2,5,3)
Alexander-Tharpe Fund
The Alexander-Tharpe Fund is the fundraising arm of Georgia Tech athletics, providing scholarship, operations and facilities support for Georgia Tech’s 400-plus student-athletes. Be a part of developing Georgia Tech’s Everyday Champions and helping the Yellow Jackets compete for championships at the highest levels of college athletics by supporting the A-T Fund’s Annual Athletic Scholarship Fund, which directly provides scholarships for Georgia Tech student-athletes, and Athletics Initiative 2020, Georgia Tech athletics’ ongoing $125 million initiative to allow Tech to recruit the nation’s most elite student-athletes, build a better student-athlete once they arrive on The Flats and, ultimately, win! To learn more about supporting the Yellow Jackets, visit atfund.org.
For the latest information on Georgia Tech Men’s Tennis, follow us on Twitter (@GT_MTEN), Instagram (GT_MTEN), Facebook (Georgia Tech Men’s Tennis) or visit us at www.ramblinwreck.com.
