March 30, 2011
Clemson, S.C. – Kevin King won a straight-set victory at No. 3 singles to put Georgia Tech on top, and the 19th-ranked Yellow Jackets never looked back in winning their third straight Atlantic Coast Conference men’s tennis match, 6-1, over No. 48 Clemson Wednesday afternoon.
Tech improved to 13-2 overall and 4-1 in conference play, while the Tigers dropped to 14-5 overall, 1-4 in ACC matches.
“We competed well today and played critical points well,” said Tech head coach Kenny Thorne. “It was closer than the score indicated, but when things got close we performed well. That is a good sign especially on the road. We also won the team match and then competed well and won the last two matches.”
After Clemson tied the match by getting a straight-set victory by Yannick Maden over Tech’s Juan Spir at No. 2 singles, King captured a 6-4, 6-3 win over Gerardo Meza at No. 3 to give the Yellow Jackets a 2-1 lead.
From there, Tech clinched the team match with wins from Eliot Potvin, 6-4, 3-6, 6-2, over Dominique Maden at No. 4, and Gomez outlasted Derek DiFazio, 6-4, 3-6, 6-4, at No. 1 singles for his 24th win of the year and his 109th career victory.
Similar to its wins last weekend over NC State and Wake Forest, Magin Ortiga and Dean O’Brien worked hard to win their matches at No. 5 and 6 after the team match was decided, each claiming a victory in a third-set tiebreaker.
“The guys have worked hard and are taking pride in each individual match whether it is singles or doubles,” said Thorne. “That pays off. Clemson is a good team and will get better and better. We’re glad to get out of here with a solid win.”
Tech won the doubles point for the third straight match after Potvin and Ryan Smith got by Yannick Maden and Moritz Dettinger, 9-7, at No. 2 to decide the point. Spir and King easily won at No. 1, 8-2 over DiFazio and Robert Pietrucha.
The Jackets remain on the road this weekend, visiting Boston College Friday and 43rd-ranked Maryland Sunday.
Georgia Tech 6, Clemson 1
Singles
1. Guillermo Gomez (GT) d. Derek DiFazio (CU) 6-4, 3-6, 6-4
2. Yannick Maden (CU) d. Juan Spir (GT) 6-4, 6-1
3. Kevin King (GT) d. Gerardo Meza (CU) 6-4, 6-3
4. Eliot Potvin (GT) d. Dominique Maden (CU) 6-4, 3-6, 6-2
5. Magin Ortiga (GT) d. Kevin Galloway (CU) 6-4, 3-6, 1-0 (10-5)
6. Dean O’Brien (GT) d. Wesley Moran (CU) 5-7, 7-6 (8-6), 1-0 (10-5)
Order of Finish: 2, 3, 4, 1, 5, 6
Doubles
1. Spir/King (GT) d. DiFazio/Robert Pietrucha (CU) 8-2
2. Potvin/Ryan Smith (GT) d. Y. Maden/Moritz Dettinger (CU) 9-7
3. Juan Bolona/D. Maden (CU) d. Gomez/O’Brien (GT) 9-8
Order of Finish: 1, 2, 3
