Texas Tech Athletics
No. 31 San Diego
Texas Tech Upsets No. 31 San Diego, 5-2
March 13, 2015 | Men's Tennis
March 13, 2015
LUBBOCK, Texas - It has always been a battle when Texas Tech has faced San Diego. Friday was no different, as the No. 34 Red Raiders just edged the No. 31 Toreros, 5-2, at the McLeod Tennis Center.
"It was just another battle for us," said Red Raider head coach Tim Siegel. "We were up 3-0 with four matches left all in the third set. It could have gone either way."
Entering Friday's match, Texas Tech and San Diego had met 12 times, with eight matches being decided by a single point. Friday had the possibility to end that way as well, but two veteran players stepped up for the Red Raiders.
With Texas Tech leading, 3-2, the match would be decided at No. 1 and No. 5. It could have gone either way. Senior Francisco Zambon and junior Felipe Soares set the tone.
Zambon, who dropped the first set, 7-5, battled back to win the second 6-4. At the same time Soares, who won the first set 7-5, dropped the second after an early break, 6-4.
Zambon battled game for game in the third set with Geoffrey Fosso until it was 4-4. Zambon then broke Fosso to take a 5-4 lead in the third. The senior from Brazil then got to 40-40 and won on Fosso's return into the net, giving Zambon a 5-7, 6-4, 6-4 victory to clinch the match.
No. 43 Soares was close behind, as he went to a third-set tiebreaker with No. 58 Uros Petronijevic. The two changed sides at 3-3 in the tiebreaker and Soares' powerful serve took over. He served an ace for a 4-3 lead and then broke Petronijevic to lead 5-3. The Torero won the next point, before Soares added another ace and saw Petronijevic's return go out to secure a 7-5, 4-6, 7-6 (7-4) win for Texas Tech.
"I am proud of our team to battle and fight all the way through," said Siegel. "We do not have long to enjoy this one, as we face another Top 30 team in Indiana on Sunday in Bloomington.
"It was great to see Fran pull through for us. Connor (Curry) and Jolan (Cailleau) were huge fans for us. The key for us today was the play of our top two doubles teams."
The day started with Texas Tech coming out with solid play in doubles. Alex Sendegeya and Cailleau ousted Alexandros Araouzos and Romain Kalaydjian, 6-2, at No. 2. Shortly after, No. 24 Dojas and Soares pulled past No. 41 Jordan Angus and Filip Vittek, 6-3, at No. 1 to secure the first point of the day for the Red Raiders. Curry then picked up the only straight-set win of the day, as the Wichita Falls freshman romped past Ciaran Fitzgerald, 6-2, 7-5.
No. 109 Cailleau picked up his eighth straight win and 20th of the season with a come-from-behind win at No. 4, giving Texas Tech a quick 3-0 lead.
San Diego answered when No. 81 Vittek battled back from a 1-6, 6-4, 6-4 win at No. 2 over Dojas. Then Jordan Angus won a 6-5, 4-6, 6-4 marathon with Sendegeya at No. 3 to set up the ending for Soares and Zambon.
Texas Tech return to action on Sunday when the Red Raiders will face No. 30 Indiana (9-4) at 10:00 a.m. at the Indiana Tennis Center. Following Sunday's match, Texas Tech takes on No. 36 Notre Dame on Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. at the Eck Tennis Pavilion in South Bend, Ind.
#34 Texas Tech 5, #31 San Diego 2
Lubbock, Texas (McLeod Tennis Center)
Singles
1. #43 Felipe Soares (TT) def. #58 Uros Petronijevic (USD) 7-5, 4-6, 7-6 (7-4)
2. #81 Filip Vittek (USD) def. Hugo Dojas (TT) 1-6, 6-4, 6-4
3. Jordan Angus (USD) def. Alex Sendegeya (TT) 6-4, 4-6, 6-4
4. #109 Jolan Cailleau (TT) def. Romain Kalaydjian (USD) 1-6, 6-2, 6-2
5. Francisco Zambon (TT) def. Geoffrey Fosso (USD) 5-7, 6-4, 6-4
6. Connor Curry (TT) def. Ciaran Fitzgerald (USD) 6-2, 7-5
Doubles
1. #24 Hugo Dojas / Felipe Soares (TT) def. #41 Jordan Angus / Filip Vittek (USD) 6-3
2. Alex Sendegeya / Jolan Cailleau (TT) def. Alexandros Araouzos / Romain Kalaydjian (USD) 6-2
3. Connor Curry / Francisco Zambon (TT) vs. Ciaran Fitzgerald / Uros Petronijevic (USD) 2-5, unfinished
Records: #31 San Diego 8-4; #34 Texas Tech 13-4.
Order of finish: Doubles (2,1); Singles (6,4,2,3,5)
T-2:45 A-247
Players Mentioned
