Texas Tech University Athletics
Texas Tech Athletics
Nebraska
No. 14 Red Raiders Win Thriller Over No. 38 Nebraska
April 09, 2010 | Men's Tennis
April 9, 2010
LUBBOCK, Texas - Sixth-ranked Raony Carvalho claimed a three-set victory at No. 1 singles to give the No. 14 Texas Tech men's tennis team a 4-3 win over No. 38 Nebraska in Big 12 Conference action on Friday night at the McLeod Tennis Center.
"You have to give credit to Nebraska," stated head coach Tim Siegel. "They fought so hard to not have their top player here. They deserved this win as much as we did. I hope they make the NCAA Championships."
The Red Raiders (18-2/1-1 Big 12) claimed the doubles point for the first time in three matches as they swept all three doubles matches against the Huskers (13-8/1-2 Big 12). The No. 3 team of Vitor Manzini and David Gonzalez won easily over Taylor Boney and Andre Stenger, 8-2. Next was a victory at No. 1 by the 20th-ranked duo of Raony Carvalho and Rafael Garcia, 8-6, against Calin Paar and David Bendeheim, 8-6. Wrapping up the doubles portion was a 40th-ranked Gonzalo Escobar and Andre Stabile as they were victorious in a tiebreaker, 8-7 (3), over Benedikt Lindeheim and Francois Van Impe at the No. 2 spot.
Nebraska got on the score board after winning the first two singles matches as Lindeheim downed Stabile, 6-0, 6-2, at No. 4, and Paar beat No. 72 Escobar, 6-4, 6-0. With the Huskers up 2-1, Tech came back to win at No. 3 as Rafael Garcia dropped Van Impe, 6-4, 6-4, to knot up the score. Nebraska then went up 3-2 with a victory at No. 5 as Stenger defeated Manzini, 7-6 (7), 6-4.
With the remaining two matches still in play and one going into the third set, the Red Raiders had to win both matches to beat the Huskers. Raphael Pfister came out on top at No. 6 as he defeated Eric Sock, 7-6 (8), 6-1, leaving the match in the hands of Carvalho. Carvalho breezed through the opening set, 6-1, and was up 4-2 in the second set before Bendheim fought back to win 7-5. Carvalho rebounded to take the third set 6-3 to give Tech the victory.
"Rafael (Garcia) and Raphael (Pfister) both were huge tonight; they both came up big for us," Siegel said. "Ray (Raony Carvalho) played a good set and a half and then mentally let down, but played a high level of tennis in the third set. It was a good win for us against a good team. Now we are focused on the (Texas A&M) Aggies."
The Red Raiders play their last home match of the season on Sun., April 11, as they host No. 12 Texas A&M at 1 p.m. at the McLeod Tennis Center.
14 Texas Tech 4, #38 Nebraska 3
McLeod Tennis Center
Lubbock, Texas
Doubles (order of finish: 3, 1, 2)
1. #20 Carvalho/Garcia (TTU) def. Paar/Bendeheim (NU), 8-6
2. #40 Escobar/Stabile (TTU) def. Lindheim/Van Impe (NU), 8-7 (3)
3. Manzini/David Gonzalez (TTU) def. Taylor Boney/Stenger (NU), 8-2
Singles (order of finish: 4, 2, 3, 5, 6, 1)
1. #6 Raony Carvalho (TTU) def. David Bendheim (NU), 6-1, 5-7, 6-3
2. Calin Paar (NU) def. #72 Gonzalo Escobar (TTU), 6-4, 6-0
3. Rafael Garcia (TTU) def. Francois Van Impe (NU), 6-4, 6-4
4. Benedikt Lindeheim (NU) def. Andre Stabile (TTU), 6-0, 6-2
5. Andre Stenger (NU) def. Vitor Manzini (TTU), 7-6 (7), 6-4
6. Raphael Pfister (TTU) def. Eric Sock (NU), 7-6 (8), 6-1
Players Mentioned
