Texas Tech University Athletics
Texas Tech Athletics
Texas A&M Corpus Christi (HEB Invitational)
Red Raiders Take HEB Invitational Title
March 07, 2009 | Men's Tennis
March 7, 2009
LUBBOCK, Texas - For the fourth time in the last five years, the No. 35-ranked Texas Tech men's tennis claimed the tournament title at the HEB Tournament of Champions Classic in Corpus Christi, Texas, as the Red Raiders downed host No. 52 Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, 4-0, Saturday.
The Red Raiders advanced to the championship by defeating both No. 65 BYU and South Alabama Friday, while the Islanders dropped both No. 53 Middle Tennessee and No. 33 New Mexico. Tech edged both schools, 4-0.
"To win all four matches, 4-0, says so much about our focus this weekend," Tech head coach Tim Siegel said. "This was by far our best match of the season. Corpus Christi is a legitimate tournament team and has had several quality wins, including yesterday's over New Mexico."
Despite the loss of the No. 10-ranked duo of Raony Carvalho and Christian Rojmar, Tech was still able to get the doubles points as Tech's other tandems of Michael Breler and Sinisa Markovic, and Gonzalo Escobar and David Gonzalez would both escape with wins.
For the third-consecutive match, Tech would maintain the momentum in singles, too, with Carvalho and Markovic both picking up straight-set victories at the top of the lineup. Michael Breler would close the match for Tech, downing Jaume Farras, 6-3, 6-4.
With the win, the Red Raiders extend their winning streak to six matches and improve to 7-3 overall on the season. Tech also defeated the Islanders in the tournament championship last season.
"I thought we played well throughout our lineup, and we seem to be starting to play more and more like a tournament team," Siegel said. "We don't have much time to enjoy it, however, as we have to get prepared for next weekend, but I am really proud of how the team played."
The Red Raiders return to the road next week on the West Coast, beginning with a trip to Los Angeles to face the No. 8 USC Trojans on Thurs., March 12. Tech closes the week in San Diego, Calif., against No. 54 San Diego State and No. 72 UNLV.
No. 35 Texas Tech - 4
No. 52 Texas A&M-Corpus Christi - 0
HEB Tennis Center - Corpus Christi, Texas
Singles
1. Sinisa Markovic (TTU) def. Mikhail Pavlov (AMCC) 6-4, 6-2
2. Raony Carvalho (TTU) def. Laurent Montoisy (AMCC) 6-4, 6-4
3. Dmitry Novikov (AMCC) vs. Gonzalo Escobar (TTU) unfinished
4. Jose Zunino (AMCC) vs. Christian Rojmar (TTU) unfinished
5. Michael Breler (TTU) def. Jaume Farras (AMCC) 6-3, 6-4
6. James Langford (AMCC) vs. David Gonzalez (TTU) unfinished
Doubles
1. Pavlov/Novikov (AMCC) def. Rojmar/Carvalho (TTU) 8-5
2. Breler/Markovic (TTU) def. Zunino/Montoisy (AMCC) 9-7
3. Escobar/Gonzalez (TTU) def. Langford/David Pace (AMCC) 8-6
Match Notes
Texas Tech 7-3; National ranking #35
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi 5-4; National ranking #52
Finals of HEB Tournament of Champions College Tennis Championships
Players Mentioned
