March 31, 2010
ATLANTA – The Georgia Tech men’s tennis team swept all doubles and singles matches to shut out Clemson, 7-0 on Wednesday afternoon at the Bill Moore Tennis Center.
With the win, the 25th ranked Yellow Jackets improved to 13-3 overall and 4-1 in the ACC. The Jackets also extended their winning streak to five and improved to 10-0 on the season at the Bill Moore Tennis Center. Clemson, ranked 43rd this week, fell to 13-5, 1-4 in the ACC with the loss.
“They’re a tough team and they kept fighting all day,” sophomore Miguel Muguruza said. “But, we went out there and took it to them from the start and earned a big win. To win it 7-0 was a great thing for us and very impressive.
“It was really nice to play in some nice weather. It’s been a while since we’ve played in this, as we’ve been playing in cold and windy conditions of late. I think we’re a physical team, so playing in the heat works to our advantage.”
The Yellow Jackets got off to a fast start after sweeping all three doubles matches to take a 1-0 lead overall. The first team to wrap up their match was Eliot Potvin and Ryan Smith, who were 8-5 winners over Clemson’s Mortiz Dettinger and Zachary Rigsby in the number two spot.
Tech clinched the point at number three doubles, as the team of Guillermo Gomez and Dean O’Brien were 8-5 victors over Carlos Alvarez and Juan Bolona of the Tigers. Clemson was poised to win the final match at number one doubles, as the team of Gera Boryachinskiy and Derek DiFazio had a 7-4 lead. However, the Tech tandem of Juan Spir and Kevin King made a furious comeback and took the match 8-7.
In singles, Gomez, the fourth-ranked singles player in the latest ITA Rankings, made quick work of DiFazio, earning a 6-3, 6-4 win to increase the Jackets’ lead to 2-0. The Yellow Jackets extended their lead to 3-0 after Spir knocked off Dettinger at number six singles 7-5, 7-5.
At number four singles, Muguruza clinched the match for the Jackets with a straight set (6-3, 6-4) win over Clemson’s Wesley Moran, making the score 4-0 in favor of Tech.
In other action, Potvin earned a hard-fought, 6-3, 2-6, 6-1 win at number three singles over Kevin Galloway to make it 5-0 in favor of the Jackets, while King was also a three-set victor (6-2., 4-6, 6-4) at number two singles over Carlos Alvarez to make it 6-0.
“Alvarez was a good player who fought hard out there all day,” King said. “I knew from the start that it was going to come down to the last few points and it did. I was happy to come out on top against a tough opponent.”
In the final match completed on the afternoon, freshman Magin Ortiga earned a win in the number five spot over Bolona 4-6, 6-4, 0-0 (3-0), retired.
Georgia Tech continues its three-match ACC home stand on Friday, when it hosts Maryland at the Bill Moore Tennis Center. First serve is set for 2:30 p.m.
Match Results
Clemson vs. Georgia Tech
Mar. 31, 2010 at Atlanta, Ga.
#25 Georgia Tech 7, #43 Clemson 0
Singles competition
1. #4 Guillermo Gomez (GT) def. Derek DiFazio (CL) 6-4, 6-3
2. #62 Kevin King (GT) def. Carlos Alvarez (CL) 6-2, 4-6, 6-4
3. Eliot Potvin (GT) def. Kevin Galloway (CL) 6-3, 2-6, 6-1
4. Miguel Muguruza (GT) def. Wesley Moran (CL) 6-3, 6-4
5. Magin Ortiga (GT) def. Juan Bolona (CL) 4-6, 6-4, 0-0 (3-0), retired
6. Juan Spir (GT) def. Moritz Dettinger (CL) 7-5, 7-5
Doubles competition
1. Juan Spir/Kevin King (GT) def. Gera Boryachinskiy/Derek DiFazio (CL) 8-7
2. Eliot Potvin/Ryan Smith (GT) def. Moritz Dettinger/Zachary Rigsby (CL) 8-5
3. Guillermo Gomez/Dean O’Brien (GT) def. Carlos Alvarez/Juan Bolona (CL) 8-5
Match Notes:
Clemson 13-5, 1-4 ACC; National ranking #43
Georgia Tech 13-3, 4-1 ACC; National ranking #25
Order of finish: Doubles (2,3,1); Singles (1,6,4,3,2,5)
