Feb. 19, 2016
Final Stats
UCF-No. 74 FGCU Stats |Final Stats
ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFKnights.com) - Defeating its second straight ranked opponent, the UCF men's tennis team extended its winning streak to three matches on Friday. The Knights topped No. 74 Florida Gulf Coast, 4-3, at the UCF Tennis Complex.
"We are making the most out of this February home stand," UCF head coach Bobby Cashman said. "The guys are playing solid doubles and we are using it as a springboard into singles. This keeps our team momentum moving forward. We have a tough doubleheader on Sunday. We are excited and ready for it."
The Knights opened the match with a victory from junior Mariano Porter and freshman Jack Thiessen at No. 3 doubles. The duo posted a 6-2 win. FGCU evened things up with a win on court two. Playing for the doubles point, juniors Chris Barrus and Inaki Espindola clinched it for the Knights with a 6-4 win.
"I felt very accomplished when Inaki and I clinched the doubles point," Barrus said. "We had great play from our team today and it felt good to knock off our second ranked opponent. We carried the momentum into singles and I'm excited to continue that momentum throughout this weekend."
FGCU made it a 1-1 match with a win on court six in singles action. The Eagles took a 2-1 lead with a straight-set win at No. 2 singles, but the Barrus responded with a straight-set win of his own to make it 2-2. Sophomore Nico De Fraia won a second set tiebreaker on court five to push the Knights back in front.
"Today was an all-around excellent performance," De Fraia said. "We clinched the doubles and had great singles matches to make it three wins in a row for the team. We have a lot of our season left, and I am confident that we are going to do great."
Playing his second weekend at No. 1, Espindola sealed the UCF victory for the second straight week. His 6-4, 7-5 win gave the Knights the match and preserved the winning streak.
"I'm proud of the way we competed today, and how we beat another tough team," Espindola said. "It was special to clinch the match, but the most important thing is that we are collecting wins, which is giving us confidence for the rest of the season."
UCF hosts a doubleheader on Sunday, hosting UT-Arlington and UConn at the UCF Tennis Complex. The Knights and Mavericks are slated for a 10 a.m. start while the American Athletic Conference matchup with the Huskies begins at 2:30 p.m.
UCF 4, No. 74 Florida Gulf Coast 3
Singles competition
1. Inaki Espindola (UCF) def. ALFONZO, Andres (FGCU) 6-4, 7-5
2. VENTURA, Ricky (FGCU) def. Jose Sangroniz (UCF) 6-1, 6-3
3. Chris Barrus (UCF) def. ALFONZO, Eduardo (FGCU) 7-6 (1), 6-3
4. CERRINI, Ezequiel (FGCU) def. Mariano Porter (UCF) 6-0, 6-7 (4), 6-0
5. Nico De Fraia (UCF) def. LANDERT, Oliver (FGCU) 6-2, 7-6 (2)
6. FERNANDEZ, Javier (FGCU) def. Jack Thiessen (UCF) 6-1, 6-3
Doubles competition
1. Chris Barrus/Inaki Espindola (UCF) def. VAZ, Lucas/CERRINI, Ezequiel (FGCU) 6-4
2. ALFONZO, Andres/FERNANDEZ, Javier (FGCU) def. Tyler Pate/Jose Sangroniz (UCF) 6-4
3. Mariano Porter/Jack Thiessen (UCF) def. LANDERT, Oliver/ALFONZO, Eduardo (FGCU) 6-2
Order of finish: Doubles (3,2,1); Singles (6,2,3,5,1,4)
Story by Megan Herboth; Photos by Brad Helton