Feb. 9, 2011
ATLANTA – Dean O’Brien and Guillermo Gomez remained undefeated this spring in doubles, and Gomez notched his 101st career singles win as Georgia Tech shut out Georgia State, 7-0, in men’s tennis Wednesday afternoon at the Bill Moore Tennis Center.
The 21st-ranked Yellow Jackets improved to 5-1 with their third straight win and await No. 11 Georgia for a 1 p.m. match Saturday on their home court. The Panthers (5-3) saw their five-match winning streak come to an end.
“Georgia State is an improved team, but a very young team,” said head coach Kenny Thorne, whose team has yet to lose a singles or a doubles match at home this spring. “We were able to capitalize on some quick starts at No. 2 and 3 doubles, and in our first three singles matches. We’ve tried to be consistent in our attitudes, whether we win or lose. In these team matches, you have to take pride in what you do on the court.”
Gomez and O’Brien won their sixth consecutive doubles match this spring by defeating Juan Pablo Gutierrez and Lucas Santana, 8-2, at No. 3 doubles. That started a sweep of the doubles matches for the Yellow Jackets, who clinched the point after Eliot Potvin and Ryan Smith stopped Breon Badger and Vincent Verpeaux, 8-3. Juan Spir and Kevin King, the nation’s 8th-ranked tandem, came from behind to defeat Victor Valente and Thomas Cook, 8-6.
The teams played the No. 4, 5 and 6 singles matches first, and all three Tech players came through with straight-set wins. King was the first to score for the Jackets, routing Gutierrez, 6-1, 6-1, at No. 4 for his fifth straight win of the spring. O’Brien defeated Santana by the same score at No. 6, and Magin Ortiga clinched the match with a 6-2, 7-6 win over Verpeaux at No. 5.
“I was happy we were able to play our 4, 5 and 6 matches first today,” said Thorne. “Those guys have not been under the same pressures as the top three guys in some earlier matches. Last week, they didn’t get to play much. I wanted them to come out and set the tone for us in singles, and they did.”
Gomez, Tech’s All-America senior from Alicante, Spain, defeated Valente, 6-1, 6-1, improving to 16-5 this spring while tying Bryan Shelton, Tech’s current women’s head coach, for second place on the all-time Tech singles list. Tech men’s coach Kenny Thorne is the Jackets’ all-time leader in singles victories with 112.
Juan Spir, ranked 48th in the nation, was the only player to go three sets, winning a 10-7 pro-set after splitting the first two sets against Thomas Cook at No. 2. Eliot Potvin completed the shutout with a 6-0, 6-3 win over Gave Townes at No. 3.
Tennis Match Results
Georgia State vs Georgia Tech
Feb 09, 2011 at Atlanta, Ga.
#21 Georgia Tech 7, Georgia State 0
Singles competition
1. #12 Guillermo Gomez (GT) def. Victor Valente (GSU) 6-1, 6-1
2. #48 Juan Spir (GT) def. Thomas Cook (GSU) 6-4, 4-6, 1-0 (10-7)
3. Eliot Potvin (GT) def. Gabe Townes (GSU) 6-0, 6-3
4. Kevin King (GT) def. Juan Pablo Gutierrez (GSU) 6-1, 6-1
5. Magin Ortiga (GT) def. Vincent Verpeaux (GSU) 6-2, 7-6 (8-6)
6. Dean O’Brien (GT) def. Lucas Santana (GSU) 6-1, 6-1
Doubles competition
1. #8 Juan Spir/Kevin King (GT) def. Victor Valente/Thomas Cook (GSU) 8-6
2. Eliot Potvin/Ryan Smith (GT) def. Breon Badger/Vincent Verpeaux (GSU) 8-3
3. Guillermo Gomez/Dean O’Brien (GT) def. Juan Pablo Gutierrez/Lucas Santana (GSU) 8-2
Match Notes:
Georgia State 5-3
Georgia Tech 5-1; National ranking #21
Order of finish: Doubles (,2,1,3); Singles (4,6,5,1,2,3)
Match played indoors
T-3:38 A-200
