March 26, 2011
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By Doug Richards
UCFAthletics.com
ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFAthletics.com) - Playing another nationally-ranked foe, the UCF men's tennis team picked up a big win Saturday as the Knights topped No. 52 DePaul, 4-3, at the UCF Tennis Complex. Freshman Mitch Thams (Queensland, Australia) clinched the win for the Knights with a victory at No. 5 singles.
The Blue Demons (11-7) opened the match by taking the doubles point, but UCF (8-11) recovered to win at four of six singles positions and record the hard-fought victory.
Facing Filip Dzanko, Thams rallied for a 6-7, 6-3, 6-4 win.
"It was great to finally get a win when we didn't win the doubles point," UCF head coach Bobby Cashman said. "That says a lot about our guys resiliency today and the work they have put in day in and day out in practice. It was also great for Mitch to come back from 3-0 in the third to clinch the match for us. He kept his emotions under control and handled the pressure very well for a first-year player."
The Knights were facing their seventh-straight nationally-ranked opponent.
In addition to Thams, senior Blaze Schwartz (Pensacola, Fla.), sophomore Mario Samson (Miami, Fla.) and junior Claudio Romano (Valencia, Venezuela) all were victorious in singles action.
Schwartz handled George Chanturia, 6-4, 6-1, at No. 2. At No. 6, Samson had little trouble with Mathias Hambach, winning 6-4, 6-2. Romano held off Matija Palinic (7-6, 6-2) at No. 2.
UCF will return to action on April 4, hosting Bethune-Cookman at 2 p.m.
UCF 4, #52 DePaul 3
Singles competition
1. Sven Kasper (DEP) def. Erik Brunskog (UCF) 6-3, 6-4
2. Claudio Romano (UCF) def. Matija Palinic (DEP) 7-6, 6-2
3. Blaze Schwartz (UCF) def. George Chanturia (DEP) 6-4, 6-1
4. Ben Hartman (DEP) def. Joe Delinks (UCF) 6-2, 6-3
5. Mitch Thams (UCF) def. Filip Dzanko (DEP) 6-7, 6-3, 6-4
6. Mario Samson (UCF) def. Mathias Hambach (DEP) 6-4, 6-2
Doubles competition
1. Blaze Schwartz/Joe Delinks (UCF) def. Bartosz Jozwiak/Sven Kasper (DEP) 8-3
2. George Chanturia/Matija Palinic (DEP) def. Eugene Dolgovykh/Matthew Zachary (UCF) 9-7
3. Ben Hartman/Filip Dzanko (DEP) def. Mitch Thams/Erik Brunskog (UCF) 8-4