Hokie ClubTUSCALOOSA, Ala. - The Virginia Tech men’s tennis team picked up its first loss off 2018, falling on the road to Alabama 4-1 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama on Friday night.
Tech (2-1) fell behind as the Tide took the doubles point to start the match.
Bama was up 3-0 before the Hokies got on the board with No. 97 Alexandre Ribeiro taking the win at three as he defeated Zhe Zhou 7-5, 6-4.
Alabama clinched the win on five where Tech’s Henrik Korsgaard forced the match to three set. After falling 1-6 in the opening set, Korsgaard rallied to win the second in a tiebreak against Edson Ortiz, 7-6(3). The Bama player responded to take the third 6-1.
Two of the Hokies matches went unfinished. On court two, No. 80 Jason Kros was in a battle with Thibault Cancel. Kros gave up the first set 4-6, but came back to win the second 6-4. He trailed slightly at 3-4 in the third before it was called.
Mitch Harper, ranked 68th, led Mazen Osama on court one. Harper won the first set 7-5, but fell 2-6 in the second. He held a 3-0 lead in the third.
The Hokies will be back on the court tomorrow, facing Penn State at 2 p.m. ET in Tuscaloosa.
Singles
1. #68 Mitch Harper (VT) vs. Mazen Osama (Bama) 7-5, 2-6, 3-0 dnf
2. #80 Jason Kros (VT) vs. Thibault Cancel (Bama) 4-6, 6-4, 3-4 dnf
3. #97 Alex Ribeiro (VT) def. Zhe Zhou (Bama) 7-5, 6-4
4. Patrick Kaukovalta (Bama) def. Carlo Donato (VT) 6-0, 6-3
5. Edson Ortiz (Bama) def. Henrik Korsgaard (VT) 6-1, 6-7(3), 6-1
6. Alexey Nesterov (Bama) def. Chase Bernstine (VT) 6-2, 6-2
Order of finish: 4,6,3,5
Doubles
1. Ortiz/Osama (Bama) def. #14 Harper/Korsgaard (VT) 6-2
2. Cancel/Nesterov (Bama) def. Bernstine/Ribeiro (VT) 5-4 dnf
3. Ricardo Roberto/Zhou (Bama) def. Donato/Kros (VT) 6-1
Order of finish: 3,1