April 23, 2010
Cary, N.C. – Freshman Magin Ortiga rallied from a first-set loss to defeat Will Beck in the deciding match at No. 5 singles, and 24th-ranked Georgia Tech eliminated No. 20 Virginia Tech, 4-3, in the quarterfinals of the Atlantic Coast Conference Men’s Tennis Championship in Cary, N.C.
The 24th-ranked Yellow Jackets, 17-6 overall, won despite losing the first set in singles in five of the six matches. They will face top-ranked and No. 1 seed Virginia (33-1), a 4-0 winner over Miami Friday, in a semi-final match at 10 a.m. Saturday. The Cavaliers have won 57 consecutive matches and have won the last three ACC titles.
Ortiga, from Cartagina, Colombia, avenged a loss to Beck last Sunday in the teams’ final regular-season contest and lifted the Yellow Jackets to victory, 6-7, 6-2, 6-1.
“Our freshman came through,” said head coach Kenny Thorne. “He really played his heart out against a guy he lost to last Sunday, and showed some great maturity for a freshman. I was very pleased with doubles, especially after we lost to them Sunday. We played some of our best doubles of the year, so I was happy about that. Then even after we lost the first set in five of the singles matches, we hung in there and didn’t panic. We did just enough to get by and now we get to play Virginia tomorrow.”
The Yellow Jackets got singles victories from All-American Guillermo Gomez at No. 1 and Juan Spir at No. 6 after dropping straight-set matches at No. 2-3-4. Gomez, a junior from Alicante, Spain, who is ranked No. 3 in the nation, defeated No. 53 Yoann Re for the second straight time, 1-6, 6-1, 6-4, while Spir, a freshman from Medellin, Colombia, earned his second straight win over Sebastien Jacques, 6-3, 6-2.
Tech got the upper hand early, winning the doubles point behind Kevin King and Spir, an 8-3 winner over Beck and Patrick Daciek, and Gomez and Dean O’Brien, who got past Corrado Degl’Incerti Tocci, 8-5.
Tennis Match Results
Virginia Tech vs Georgia Tech
Apr 23, 2010 at Cary, N.C.
#24 Georgia Tech 4, #20 Virginia Tech 3
Singles competition
1. #3 Guillermo Gomez (GT) def. #53 Yoann Re (VT) 1-6, 6-1, 6-4
2. #73 Luka Somen (VT) def. #78 Kevin King (GT) 7-5, 6-3
3. Corrado Tocci (VT) def. #101 Eliot Potvin (GT) 6-4, 6-0
4. Patrick Daciek (VT) def. Miguel Muguruza (GT) 6-4, 6-3
5. Magin Ortiga (GT) def. Will Beck (VT) 6-7 (7-9), 6-2, 6-1
6. Juan Spir (GT) def. #125 Sebastien Jacques (VT) 6-3, 6-2
Doubles competition
1. Juan Spir/Kevin King (GT) def. Will Beck/Patrick Daciek (VT) 8-3
2. #46 Eliot Potvin/Ryan Smith (GT) vs. Sebastien Jacques/Yoann Re (VT) unfinished
3. Guillermo Gomez/Dean O’Brien (GT) def. Corrado Tocci/Luka Somen (VT) 8-5
Match Notes:
Virginia Tech 14-6, 7-4 ACC; National ranking #20
Georgia Tech 16-6, 7-4 ACC; National ranking #24
Order of finish: Doubles (1,3); Singles (3,4,6,2,1,5)
ACC Championship – quarterfinal round
2010 ACC Men’s Tennis Championship
April 22-25; Cary Tennis Park
Cary, N.C.
Saturday, April 24 – Semifinals
10 a.m. – Georgia Tech vs. Virginia
1 p.m. – Duke/Florida State winner vs. North Carolina-Wake Forest winner
Sunday, April 25 – Championship
11 a.m. – Saturday winners
