ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFKnights.com) – Senior Harrison Richmond went down 3-0 before winning 12-straight games to tie the overall match score at 1-1. The No. 31 Knights used the momentum to defeat Tulsa, 4-2, in the quarterfinals of the American Athletic Conference at the USTA National Campus.
"I felt like we had a good idea of what we needed to do (coming into today's match), it's a matter of going out and executing it," said head coach John Roddick.
The third-seeded Black and Gold earned a 6-3 doubles on court three, but the Golden Hurricane took the doubles point with wins at No. 1, 6-1, and No. 2, 6-4.
"Even after losing the doubles point, I still felt strong that we could come out and win four singles matches," Roddick said.
In singles, the Knights came out fighting claiming first set victories on four courts. Richmond led the team with a 50-minute 6-3, 6-0 victory on court three.
"We dealt with some adversity today," said Richmond. "After going down a break, I just tried to hang tough. There are many up and downs throughout a match, and I just tried to embrace the challenge and stick to my strengths. It was a great team effort today, but tomorrow is a new day and Tulane is a great team. We look forward to the challenge."
Sophomore Kalman Boyd added a second point to UCF's total with a decisive 6-3, 6-4 win at No. 6 singles.
After taking the first set 6-2, junior Korey Lovett dropped the second, 6-4, to force a third. In a prompt 38 minutes, Lovett downed No. 28-ranked Or Ram-Harel, 6-2, to give UCF a 3-2 lead.
Senior Chris Barrus was in a hard-hitting match on court five. After trailing 5-4, Barrus won three consecutive games to clinch the first, 7-5. The Naples, Fla., native opened the second set with a 5-1 run. He dropped the next two games before coming back and clinching the match with four quick points.
"Based on the history, I feel like our guys feel like they have a lot to prove," said Roddick. "We've done a good job of going out and playing the best tennis we can play, especially the second half of the season."
The Knights face No. 27 Tulane, who is the second seed, on Saturday at 12 p.m.
Results
Doubles (1,3,2)
1. Majed Kilani/Or Ram-Harel (Tulsa) def. Harrison Richmond/Mariano Porter (UCF), 6-1
2. Dominic Bechard/Okkie Kellerman (Tulsa) def. Korey Lovett/Danny Kerznerman (UCF), 6-4
3. Kalman Boyd/Chris Barrus (UCF) def. Jarod Hing/Daniel Santos (Tulsa), 6-3
Singles (3,6,4,1,5)
1. Korey Lovett (UCF) def. Or Ram-Harel (Tulsa), 6-2,4-6,6-2
2. Danny Kerznerman (UCF) vs. Majed Kilani (Tulsa), 3-6, 7-5, unfinished
3. Harrison Richmond (UCF) def. Jarod Hing (Tulsa), 6-3,6-0
4. Dominic Bechard (Tulsa) def. Mariano Porter (UCF), 6-3,6-4
5. Chris Barrus (UCF) def. Daniel Santos (Tulsa), 7-5,6-3
6. Kalman Boyd (UCF) def. Mitchell Pritchard (Tulsa), 6-3, 6-4
