LEXINGTON, Ky. – The 41st-ranked Virginia Tech men’s tennis team was eliminated from the 2013 NCAA Men’s Tennis Championship on Saturday by eighth-ranked Kentucky, 4-1 during second round action at the Boone Tennis Center.
"Kentucky played really well," said Virginia Tech head coach Jim Thompson. "We thought we got off to a good start in the doubles, but they came storming back. In singles, we really had some momentum going on several courts, but at one and two we never really got in the matches and they [Kentucky] played really well. I give them lots of credit, obviously they have a really good team and we gave them our best shot."
The Hokies (16-10) entered the singles matches down 1-0 after the Wildcats (22-11) took the early lead in the match, claiming the doubles point with wins in the No. 1 and No. 3.
Tech fell behind 2-0 after Kentucky’s 23rd-ranked Tom Jomby secured a win in the No. 2 against Tech’s 97th-ranked freshman Andreas Bjerrehus. The Wildcat junior claimed the point with scores of 6-1, 6-2.
Kentucky went up 3-0 in the match as fifth-ranked Anthony Rossi defeated Tech’s 61st-ranked freshman Amerigo Contini. UK’s senior No. 1 player posted the 6-0, 6-2 win.
Tech got on the board with a win from freshman Aaron Gomez in the No. 6 singles. The Virginia Tech player secured the decision in straight sets with scores of 7-5, 6-1 against Beck Pennington.
Kentucky claimed the team win as the Wildcats scored in the No. 5. Grant Roberts defeated Tech senior Lucas Oliveira, 6-0, 6-2.
"We had a great year, lost some really close matches, but we started four freshman, a sophomore and one senior," Thompson said. "I think we have a young team and a nucleus that we can really build around. We look to be back here again next year."
The Hokies wrap up duals with a 16-10 record in 2013. Next up, Contini will represent Virginia Tech at the NCAA Singles Championship, May 22-27 at the Khan Tennis Complex in Urbana, Ill.
Singles
1. #5 Anthony Rossi (UK) def. #61 Amerigo Contini (VT) 6-0, 6-2
2. #23 Tom Jomby (UK) def. #97 Andreas Bjerrehus (VT) 6-1, 6-2
3. Hunter Koontz (VT) vs. Charles Minc (UK) 6-3, 4-3 dnf
4. Joao Monteiro (VT) vs. Kevin Lai (UK) 6-2, 5-4 dnf
5. Grant Roberts (UK) def. Lucas Oliveira (VT) 6-0, 6-2
6. Aaron Gomez (VT) def. Beck Pennington (UK) 7-5, 6-1
Order of finish: 2,1,6,5
Doubles
1. #9 Jomby/Lai (UK) def. #80 Bjerrehus/Koontz (VT) 8-1
2. Ryuji Hirooka/Pennington (UK) vs. Contini/Marko Lovrinovic (VT) 7-4 dnf
3. Rossi/Juan Pablo Murra (UK) def. Monteiro/Oliveira (VT) 8-3
Order of finish: 1,3