Texas Tech University Athletics
Texas Tech Athletics
Notre Dame
Red Raiders Unable to Rebound, Fall to Notre Dame
February 01, 2009 | Men's Tennis
Feb. 1, 2009
LUBBOCK, Texas - Following its season-opening loss to No. 16 LSU Saturday, No. 20 Texas Tech was unable to rebound Sunday as the Red Raiders fell, 4-0, to No. 32 Notre Dame in the consolation round of the ITA National Team Indoor Championships held at the Michael D. Case Tennis Center in Tulsa, Okla.
The Fighting Irish took two of three doubles matches to take the opening point before eventually winning the first three singles matches to end the match. With the loss, Tech drops to 0-2 on the season, while Notre Dame improves to 2-4 overall.
In the day's opening match, David Gonzalez and Milos Kustudija fell, 8-4, in the No. 3 doubles position to Niall Fitzgerald and Matt Johnson. Tech's seventh-ranked tandem of Raony Carvalho and Christian Rojmar would soon tie the match, however, defeating the No. 37-ranked duo of Tyler Davis and Brett Helgeson, 8-5, to force the tiebreaker match.
In the deciding match, Notre Dame's Stephen Havens and Casey Watt were able to hold off Michael Breler and Sinisa Markovic with a 9-7 advantage to give the Fighting Irish the opening point.
Notre Dame would continue its scoring in singles as Sam Keeton was able to defeat David Gonzalez in straight sets, 7-6 (8), 7-5, at the No. 6 position, while Havens was able to edge Markovic in straight sets, 7-6 (4), 7-5, at the No. 2 slot to move the Irish a point from clinching the match.
After dropping the opening set, 2-6, at the No. 4 position, Casey Watt would clinch the match for the Irish against Michael Breler, taking the final sets, 7-5, 6-3, to give Notre Dame the deciding point.
The three remaining matches at the No. 1, 3 and 5 positions were all in the third set when Notre Dame clinched the match. Rojmar was the only Red Raider ahead in the final set.
"I don't think I have ever been part of a match where I thought we could have won every match, including the doubles point, and then come away with a 4-0 loss," Tech head coach Tim Siegel said. "We had our chances in every match, but Notre Dame is a good team and we have to give them credit. We know we are close to being where we want to be, but we have to continue to work hard and get ready for another match in a couple weeks."
The Red Raiders will take nearly two weeks off before traveling to Denver, Colo., to face the University of Denver on Feb. 14. Tech's home opener at the McLeod Tennis Center is scheduled for Feb. 28 against TCU.
No. 20 Texas Tech - 0
No. 32 Notre Dame - 4
Michael D. Case Tennis Center - Tulsa, Okla.
Singles (Order 6, 2, 4)
1. No. 20 Brett Helgeson (ND) vs. No. 19 Raony Carvalho (TTU), 4-6, 6-4, 3-2 unfinished
2. Stephen Havens (ND) def. Sinisa Markovic (TTU), 7-6 (4), 7-5
3. Christian Rojmar (TTU) vs. No. 112 Daniel Stahl (ND), 6-3, 1-6, 6-6 (5-4) unfinished
4. Casey Watt (ND) def. Michael Breler (TTU), 2-6, 7-5, 6-3
5. Niall Fitzgerald (ND) vs. Milos Kustudija (TTU), 6-4, 2-6, 3-2 unfinished
6. Sam Keeton (ND) def. David Gonzalez (TTU), 7-6 (8), 7-5
Doubles (Order: 3, 1, 2)
1. No. 7 Carvalho/Rojmar (TTU) def. No. 37 Tyler Davis/Helgeson (ND), 8-5
2. Havens/Watt (ND) def. Breler/Markovic (TTU), 9-7
3. Fitzgerald/Matt Johnson (ND) def. Gonzalez/Kustudija (TTU), 8-4
