ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFKnights.com) – For the first time since 2010, the No. 39 UCF men's tennis team upended No. 26 USF, 4-2, in a War on I-4 matchup on Saturday evening at the USTA National Campus. The Knights added six points to the current War on I-4 score, 36-15.
"I am very proud of this team's effort tonight against USF," head coach John Roddick said. "I know this win means a ton for our seniors and I couldn't be happier for them."
USF is the fourth top-30 opponent that the Black and Gold has knocked off this season. The Knights started a little slow dropping the doubles point, but came back to win the first set on four of the six singles courts.
On court two junior Danny Kerznerman put the Knights on the board in after dropping the first set 4-6, he came back and took the second deftly, 6-1. He secured the first point for the Knights with a third-set win, 6-4. Senior Chris Barrus followed it up with a 6-3, 7-6 (7-5) victory at No. 5.
UCF took a 3-2 lead when sophomore Kalman Boyd finished off Jakub Wojcik. Boyd quickly took the first set, 6-1. Wojcik battled back and forced a third after taking the second, 6-3. With a 6-3 victory Boyd added the third point to the scoreboard for the Knights.
On the top court, UCF's No. 63 Korey Lovett was in a hard-hitting battle against No. 62 Sasha Gozun. Lovett took the first set, 6-4 but fell in the second, 7-5. Each of the players recorded 11 aces spanning over the three sets. Lovett and Gozun were all tied up at 4-4 and again at 5-5. Using the crowd Lovett, the junior, took a 6-5 lead in the third. Four huge serves sealed the deal for the junior and UCF with a 7-5 victory.
Prior to the start of the match, UCF honored its five seniors: Reece Acree, Chris Barrus, Mariano Porter, Harrison Richmond and Arjun Watane.
The Knights head up to Johnson City, Tenn., to take on East Tennessee State on April 7 at 2 p.m., and UNC Wilmington at 2 p.m. on April 8.
Final Results (Order of Finish)
Doubles (2,1)
1). Alberto Barroso-Campos/ Sasha Gozun (USF) d. Mariano Porter/ Harrison Richmond (UCF), 6-2
2). Justin Roberts/ Peter Bertran (USF) d. Korey Lovett/ Danny Kerznerman (UCF), 6-4
3). Chris Barrus/ Enrique Paya (UCF) vs. Jakub Wojcik/ Vadym Kalyuzhnyy (USF), 3-5 Unfinished
Singles (4,2,5,6,1)
1). No. 63 Korey Lovett (UCF) d. No. 62 Sasha Gozun (USF), 6-4, 5-7, 7-5
2). Danny Kerznerman (UCF) d. Justin Roberts (USF), 4-6, 6-1, 6-4
3). Harrison Richmond (UCF) vs. Alberto Barroso-Campos (USF), 6-3, 6-7 (5), 2-3 unfinished
4). Peter Bertran (USF) d. Mariano Porter (UCF), 6-4, 7-5
5). Chris Barrus (UCF) d. Vadym Kalyuzhnyy (USF), 6-3, 7-6 (5)
6). Kalman Boyd (UCF) d. Jakub Wojcik (USF), 6-1, 3-6, 6-3
