March 29, 2014
Winston-Salem, N.C. – Nathan Rakitt and Cole Fiegel defeated ranked foes in singles and teamed up to win their doubles match, but it was not enough as Georgia Tech dropped a 4-3 decision to No. 25 Wake Forest Saturday in an Atlantic Coast Conference men’s tennis match.
The Demon Deacons (10-7, 1-3 ACC) won their first ACC match of the spring when Pedro Dumont pulled out a dramatic 9-7 win in a third-set tiebreaker against Tech freshman Will Showers in the deciding match at No. 5 singles. The Yellow Jackets fell to 7-8 overall, 1-4 in the ACC.
Showers, who won the first set 7-5, but lost the second, 6-0, fought off three match points in forcing the third set to a tiebreaker with the overall match tied at 3-3. Down 6-5 and 40-0 in the 12th game, he won five straight points to break Dumont’s serve.
The tiebreaker went back and forth before Showers gained a 6-5 lead and a chance to serve for the match. But the Norcross, Ga., freshman lost both points, then fought off another match point before Dumont prevailed on Showers’ serve.
“The guys played with heart the whole match and got to within a point of winning,” said Tech coach Kenny Thorne, whose team visits No. 43 NC State Sunday at noon. “Win that point and everybody’s happy. I’m happy that everyone played smart and with heart. The challenge will be doing the same thing tomorrow at NC State.”
Wake Forest gained the advantage in the match by taking the doubles point. Dumont and Adam Lee, ranked No. 52 in the nation, upended Tech’s top team of Carloa Benito and Eduardo Segura, 8-6, at the top spot to clinch the point. The Demon Deacons also won at No. 3, with Jon Ho and Anthony Delcore getting by Showers and Colin Edwards, 8-6. Fiegel and Rakitt pulled out their match at No. 2 by an 8-7 score.
Rakitt evened the match by defeating 68th-ranked Maksim Kan, 6-2, 6-3, at No. 2, and Benito put the Jackets ahead with a 6-4, 6-2 win over Ho at No. 4. Romain Bogaerts, ranked No. 32, evened the match for Wake at No. 1 singles with a 6-2, 6-2 win over Segura, and the Demon Deacons went ahead, 3-2, with Nicky Kunz’ 6-2, 7-5 win over Edwards at No. 6.
Fiegel evened the match again set the stage for the final showdown by beating No. 45 Adam Lee, 7-6, 7-5, on court 4.
#25 Wake Forest 4, #74 Georgia Tech 3Mar 29, 2014 at Winston-Salem, N.C. (Wake Forest Indoor Tennis Center)
Singles competition 1. #32 Romain Bogaerts (WF) def. Eduardo Segura (GT) 6-2, 6-2 2. Nathan Rakitt (GT) def. #68 Maksim Kan (WF) 6-2, 6-3 3. Cole Fiegel (GT) def. #45 Adam Lee (WF) 7-6 (7-3), 7-5 4. Carlos Benito (GT) def. Jon Ho (WF) 6-4, 6-2 5. Pedro Dumont (WF) def. Will Showers (GT) 5-7, 6-0, 7-6 (9-7) 6. Nicky Kunz (WF) def. Colin Edwards (GT) 6-2, 7-5
Doubles competition 1. #52 Adam Lee/Pedro Dumont (WF) def. #23 Carlos Benito/Eduardo Segura (GT) 8-6 2. Cole Fiegel/Nathan Rakitt (GT) def. Romain Bogaerts/Maksim Kan (WF) 8-7 (7-1) 3. Jon Ho/Anthony Delcore (WF) def. Colin Edwards/Will Showers (GT) 8-6
Match Notes Georgia Tech 7-8 (1-4 ACC); National ranking #74 Wake Forest 10-7 (1-3 ACC); National ranking #25 Order of finish: Doubles (3,1,2); Singles (2,4,1,6,3,5)
