Texas Tech Athletics
No. 75 Rice
Texas Tech Battles Back To Drop Rice, 4-3
January 31, 2015 | Men's Tennis
January 31, 2015
LUBBOCK, Texas - Texas Tech battled back from a 3-2 deficit to upend Rice, 4-3, on Saturday at the A.J. Pitts Tennis Centre.
The Red Raiders (7-2) relied on a pair of veterans to secure the win, as senior Francisco Zambon won at No. 6 to tie the match and junior Felipe Soares battled back to win at No. 1 and take the victory.
"We battled today," said Red Raider head coach Tim Siegel. "We were down 3-2 and won back-to-back three setters to win."
The win came on the heels of junior Victor Cornea leaving the program to turn professional.
"Felipe came up big for us," said Siegel. "We need him and Hugo (Dojas) to be our leaders in order for us to be successful."
The day started with Rice sweeping the doubles. Adam Gustafsson and Gustavo Gonzalez gave Rice the first win as the duo topped Connor Curry and Francisco Zambon, 6-3. Srikar Alla and Jamie Malik then gave the Owls the first point of the day as they defeated Tech's Jolan Cailleau and Alex Sendegeya, 6-3.
Soares and Hugo Dojas were leading Max Andrews and David Warren at No. 1 doubles, 4-3, when the match was abandoned.
Dojas tied the match, 1-1, with a straight-set win over Andres, 6-4, 6-3, at No. 2. But Rice answered at No. 5, as Warren dropped Curry, 6-3, 6-2.
Sendegeya answered back with a 6-0, 7-5 win at No. 3 over Malik to tie the match at 2-2. But for the third straight match, Rice stepped up to regain the lead. Gustafsson defeated Cailleau, 7-6 (8-6), 6-2 at No. 4.
The match was tied again, when Zambon battled back to drop Gonzalez, 2-6, 6-1, 6-2.
The match came down to No. 1, where Rice's Alla took the first set against Tech's Soares, 6-2. Soares answered with a win in the second set, 6-3, to send it to the third and deciding set.
Alla started off winning the first game, then broke Soares and won the third to take a 3-0 lead. Soares battled back and won the next three games to tie the match, 3-3. Alla regained the lead, 4-3, before Soares won the last three games to capture a 2-6, 6-3, 6-4 victory and the 4-3 team win.
#42 Texas Tech 4, #75 Rice 3
Starkville, Miss. (A.J. Pitts Tennis Centre)
Singles
1. Felipe Soares (TT) def. Srikar Alla (RICE) 2-6, 6-3, 6-4
2. Hugo Dojas (TT) def. Max Andrews (RICE) 6-4, 6-3
3. Alex Sendegeya (TT) def. Jamie Malik (RICE) 6-0, 7-5
4. Adam Gustafsson (RICE) def. Jolan Cailleau (TT) 7-6 (8-6), 6-2
5. David Warren (RICE) def. Connor Curry (TT) 6-3, 6-2
6. Francisco Zambon (TT) def. Gustavo Gonzalez (RICE) 2-6, 6-1, 6-2
Doubles
1. Max Andrews/David Warren (RICE) vs. Felipe Soares/Hugo Dojas (TT) 3-4, unfinished
2. Srikar Alla/Jamie Malik (RICE) def. Jolan Cailleau/Alex Sendegeya (TT) 6-3
3. Adam Gustafsson/Gustavo Gonzalez (RICE) def. Connor Curry/Francisco Zambon (TT) 6-3
Records: No. 42 Texas Tech 7-2; No. 75 Rice 3-4
Order of finish: Doubles (3,2); Singles (2,5,3,4,6,1)
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Players Mentioned
