Texas Tech University Athletics
Texas Tech Athletics
Oklahoma State
No. 21 Tech Downs Oklahoma State, 5-2
April 03, 2011 | Men's Tennis
April 3, 2011
Results | Results 
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Post-Match Interview
LUBBOCK, Texas - Despite the windy conditions in Lubbock, the No. 21 Texas Tech men's tennis team was able to get its first Big 12 win of the season in a 5-2 triumph over Oklahoma State on Sunday morning at the McLeod Tennis Center.
"We got through it and it wasn't a pretty performance," said head coach Tim Siegel. "I knew Oklahoma State would be a challenge since they had their entire lineup playing today. We have got to be more mentally tough if we have a chance to win next weekend (at Texas A&M and at Texas). I was happy to get a win in these rough conditions."
For the 12th time this season, Tech (14-6/1-1 Big 12) captured the doubles point by winning at No. 1 and No. 2. The 46th-ranked duo of Gonzalo Escobar and Vitor Manzini defeated No. 74 Maniel Bains and Eric West, 8-3, at No.2. OSU (3-9/0-3 Big 12) won at No. 3 as Vladislav Bondarenko and Tomas Patino beat David Gonzalez and Raphael Pfister, 8-6.
The doubles point came down to the No. 1 spot. With the Red Raiders up 4-0, OSU came back to close the gap to 5-4 before Tech's 26-ranked tandem of Raony Carvalho and Rafael Garcia went on to win three of the last four games to upset No. 18 Aleksey Bessonov and Rifat Biktyakov, 8-5, to claim the doubles points and take a 1-0 lead heading into singles.
The Red Raiders took a 3-0 lead when No. 20 Escobar easily downed No. 72 Bains, 6-0, 6-0, at No. 1 and that was followed by another straight-set win by Garcia, 6-2, 6-0, over Biktyakov at No. 3.
"Gonzalo was awesome today in both singles and doubles," Siegel said.
The Cowboys got on the scoreboard with a victory at No. 5 as West dropped Gabriel Wanderley, 6-4, 6-2, putting the score at 3-1.
Tech clinched the match when 23rd-ranked Carvalho won in three sets, 7-6 (3), 2-6, 6-2, over Bondarenko at No. 2. Carvalho was up 2-0 in the second set before Bondarenko won six-straight games to win the set. However, Carvalho fought back to win the third set and give the Red Raiders their first conference victory. Carvalho remains unbeaten in duals this spring with an 18-0 record.
Pfister then wrapped up his win at No. 6 with a 6-4, 7-5, victory over Ilija Martinoski. At No. 4 singles, Manzini was the last player to finish his match, which went to a third set super tiebreaker. He lost to Bessonov, 6-4, 6-7 (7), 10-8.
The Red Raiders hit the road for two matches - at Texas A&M on Fri., April 8 at 6 p.m. and at Texas on Sun., April 10 at 1 p.m.
#21 Texas Tech 5, Oklahoma State 2
McLeod Tennis Center
Lubbock, Texas
April 3, 2011
Doubles - 2, 3, 1
1. #26 Carvalho/Garcia (TTU) def. #18 Bessonov/Biktyakov (OSU), 8-5
2. #46 Escobar/Manzini (TTU) def. #74 Bains/West (OSU), 8-3
3. Bondarenko/Tomas Patino (OSU) def. David Gonzalez/Pfister (TTU), 8-6
Singles - 1, 3, 5, 2, 6, 4
1. #20 Gonzalo Escobar (TTU) def. #72 Maniel Bains (OSU), 6-0, 6-0
2. #23 Raony Carvalho (TTU) def. Vladislav Bondarenko (OSU), 7-6 (3), 2-6, 6-2
3. Rafael Garcia (TTU) def. Rifat Biktyakov (OSU), 6-2, 6-0
4. Aleksey Bessonov (OSU) def. Vitor Manzini (TTU), 6-4, 6-7 (7), 10-8
5. Eric West (OSU) def. Gabriel Wanderley (TTU), 6-4, 6-2
6. Raphael Pfister (TTU) vs. Ilija Martinoski (OSU), 6-4, 7-5
