ANDERSON, S.C. – The Virginia Tech men's tennis team downed Clemson in a close 4-3 match on Saturday afternoon in Anderson, South Carolina at the AU Tennis Complex.
Tech (12-6, 3-5 ACC) sophomore Alex Ribeiro clinched the match for the Hokies with a win on court three where he faced Clemson's (8-6, 3-4 ACC) Sam Edwards. Ribeiro won the first set 6-4, but the Clemson player came back to hold on for the 7-5 win in the second. In the final set, Ribeiro clinched it 6-3.
The Hokies fell behind after giving up the doubles point, but quickly got on the board in singles as Freddy Mesmer claimed the 6-3, 6-1 win over Reed Rabideau on court six. Carlo Donato pushed the Hokies ahead 2-1 as he downed Carlos Kelaidis 7-5, 6-3.
Tech's 53rd-ranked Mitch Harper gave Tech a 3-1 lead on court one where he knocked off 47th-ranked Alex Favrot 7-6(4), 7-5.
Clemson tied it up with wins on courts four and two, but Ribeiro's win clinched it for Tech.
With today's win over Clemson and the Hokies' win at Georgia Tech on Thursday, it marks the first time the team has beaten both in the same weekend since joining the ACC.
The Hokies also claimed the win at the Anderson University Tennis Complex (Clemson is under renovation) where Coach Jim Thompson started his head coaching career, guiding the women's program to a national ranking of third.
Virginia Tech will begin a five-match home stand beginning next weekend, hosting Florida State in a 2:30 match at Burrows-Burleson Tennis Center. Tech will host Miami on Sunday, April 8 at noon.
Singles
1. #53 Mitch Harper (VT) def. #47 Alex Favrot (CU) 7-6(4), 7-5
2. Simon Baudry (CU) def. Jason Kros (VT) 6-3, 5-7, 6-1
3. Alex Ribeiro (VT) def. Sam Edwards (CU) 6-4, 5-7, 6-3
4. Yizhou Liu (CU) def. Henrik Korsgaard (VT) 6-3, 4-6, 6-4
5. Carlo Donato (VT) def. Carlos Kelaidis (CU) 7-5, 6-3
6. Freddy Mesmer (VT) def. Reed Rabideau (CU) 6-3, 6-1
Order of finish: 6,5,1,2,3,4
Doubles
1. #22 Baudry/Favrot (CU) vs. Korsgaard/Ribeiro (VT) 6-5 dnf
2. Edwards/Liu (CU) def. Donato/Harper (VT) 6-2
3. Kelaidis/Dagostine (CU) def. J. Kros/Ryan Kros (VT) 7-6(2)
Order of finish: 2,3