April 19, 2007
CARY, N.C. – Jose Muguruza fell in a three-set heartbreaker as the Georgia Tech men’s tennis team (7-15, 4-7 Atlantic Coast Conference) lost to Miami (11-12, 5-6 ACC), 4-3, in the first round of the ACC Men’s Tennis Championships in Cary, N.C. on Thursday.
Muguruza, a redshirt junior from Wesley Chapel, Fla., took No. 50 Daniel Vallverdu to a third set after a dramatic match-point victory in a second set tiebreaker but ultimately fell 1-6, 7-6 (7-5), 4-6 to give the Hurricanes the win.
The Jackets fell behind early after dropping the doubles point to the Hurricanes. The team of senior Eric Molnar and junior Jordan DeLass dropped an 8-5 decision to Daniel Vallverdu and Vivek Subramanian at the No. 2 position. The `Canes sealed the point when J.C. Whitner and Hector Nieto took an 8-4 win over senior Zach Rath and junior Scott Blackmon at the third spot.
In singles play, the Hurricanes again jumped out of the gate quickly, taking a 2-0 lead when No. 10 Luigi D’Agord earned a 6-2, 6-1 in the top spot with a straight-set win over 28th-ranked junior David North. Tech pulled with in one point as Delass outlasted Subramanian in the fourth position, when Subramanian had to retire as the match was heading into the third set and score at 3-6, 6-1.
The Jackets would again fall behind by two after Molnar fell to Josh Cohen, 7-5, 6-2 in a hard fought battle at the third spot. Rath would give Tech a much-needed boost with some dominating play in a 6-4, 6-4 win over Nieto in the No. 6 position to make the score 3-2.
Blackmon tied the score at 3 apiece after taking his three-set match over Whitner in the fifth position with a 3-6, 7-5, 6-0 come from behind victory. This proved not enough as a moment later Muguruza would fall on court two.
The Jackets now wait to see if they are selected to the NCAA Championships, which begin with regional play May 11-12 at campus sites. The NCAA Tennis Championship selection show will be televised by ESPNews on May 1 from 2-5:30 p.m.
Tennis Match ResultsGeorgia Tech vs Miami4/19/2007 at Cary Tennis Center
#35 University of Miami 4, #45 Georgia Tech 3 Singles competition: 1. #10 Luigi D’Agord (UM) def. #28 David North (GT) 6-2, 6-1 2. #50 Daniel Vallverdu (UM) def. Jose Muguruza (GT) 6-1, 6-7 (5-7), 6-4 3. Josh Cohen (UM) def. Eric Molnar (GT) 7-5, 6-2 4. Jordan DeLass (GT) def. Vivek Subramanian (UM) 3-6, 6-1, retired 5. Scott Blackmon (GT) def. J.C. Whitner (UM) 3-6, 7-5, 6-0 6. Zach Rath (GT) def. Hector Nieto (UM) 6-4, 6-4
Doubles competition: 1. #3 Luigi D’Agord/Josh Cohen (UM) vs. Jose Muguruza/David North (GT) 7-6, unfinished 2. Daniel Vallverdu/Vivek Subramanian (UM) def. Eric Molnar/Jordan DeLass (GT) 8-5 3. J.C. Whitner/Hector Nieto (UM) def. Scott Blackmon/Zach Rath (GT) 8-4
Match Notes: Georgia Tech 7-15, 4-7 ACC; National ranking #45 Miami 11-12, 5-6 ACC; National ranking #35 Order of finish: Doubles (2,3); Singles (1,4,3,6,5,2)
