Feb. 20, 2011
Auburn, Ala. – Georgia Tech’s 15th-ranked men’s tennis team got singles wins from Kevin King, Eliot Potvin and Juan Spir on top of wining the doubles point and won its fourth consecutive match Sunday, 4-3, over No. 22 Auburn at the Yarbrough Tennis Center.
Tech improved to 7-1 this season, winning on the road for the second time on an SEC opponent’s court, while Auburn fell to 5-2.
The Jackets got back on the winning track in doubles after dropping the point a week ago in a win over Georgia, getting wins at No. 1 from 18th-ranked Juan Spir and Kevin King (8-6 over Tim Puetz and Daniel Cochrane) and at No. 3 from Guillermo Gomez and Dean O’Brien (8-3 over Luca Lopasso and Michel Monteiro.
Kevin King claimed a 6-2, 6-4 win over Rafael Rondino at No. 4 singles, and after Guillermo Gomez dropped a straight-set match to Puetz at No. 1, Potvin defeated 96th-ranked Tim Hewitt, 6-3, 6-4, to give the Jackets a 3-1 lead.
Juan Spir, ranked 35th nationally, clinched the match for Tech with a hard-fought three-set win over Alex Stamchev at No. 2.
“It was a pure team effort today,” said Tech coach Kenny Thorne. “We had a lot of variables to deal with today being our first outdoor match, different courts and on the road. Our guys dealt with things like champions. Auburn is a good team and fought back into the match after we went up 3-1 in matches. But we kept the pressure on them and kept fighting. I know our team got tougher today. All team members are contributing with all their heart and that is our strength.”
Auburn kept fighting, taking tight three-set matches at No. 5 and 6. Tech sophomore Magin Ortiga lost for the first time in five matches at No. 5, and senior Dean O’Brien lost for the first time this spring.
Tech returns to action March 6 at home against Florida State.
Tennis Match Results
Georgia Tech vs Auburn
Feb 20, 2011 at Auburn, Ala.
#15 Georgia Tech 4, #22 Auburn 3
Singles competition
1. #72 Tim Puetz (AU) def. #14 Guillermo Gomez (GT) 6-4, 6-2
2. #35 Juan Spir (GT) def. Alex Stamchev (AU) 6-7, 6-3, 7-5
3. Eliot Potvin (GT) def. #96 Tim Hewitt (AU) 6-3, 6-4
4. Kevin King (GT) def. Rafael Rondino (AU) 6-2, 6-4
5. Daniel Cochrane (AU) def. Magin Ortiga (GT) 6-7, 7-6, 6-3
6. #106 Andreas Mies (AU) def. Dean O’Brien (GT) 6-4, 6-7, 6-3
Doubles competition
1. #18 Juan Spir/Kevin King (GT) def. Tim Puetz/Daniel Cochrane (AU) 8-6
2. Alex Stamchev/Andreas Mies (AU) def. Eliot Potvin/Ryan Smith (GT) 9-7
3. Guillermo Gomez/Dean O’Brien (GT) def. Lucas Lopasso/Michel Monteiro (AU) 8-3
Match Notes:
Georgia Tech 7-1; National ranking #15
Auburn 5-2; National ranking #22
Order of finish: Doubles (3,1,2); Singles (4,1,3,2,6,5)
