Miami Falls Short in Second Round of ACC Championship
CARY, N.C. – The University of Miami men’s tennis team bowed out of the 2018 ACC Championship after falling, 4-1, to seventh-seeded NC State Thursday evening at the Cary Tennis Park.
Senior Christian Langmo won in straight sets against Tadas Babelis, 6-3, 7-6 (7-5), to get the Hurricanes (14-12) within a point at 2-1, but Miami could not repeat the regular-season triumph over the Wolfpack (17-7). As a result, it will be No. 22 NC State who will move on to face second-seeded North Carolina in Friday’s quarterfinal.
“I’m happy that I won, but at this point of the season a personal win doesn’t mean that much when the team didn’t get the victory,” Langmo said. “I know that I did everything that I could do, so I am not disappointed in myself, but I’m generally disappointed in the outcome.”
The Wolfpack took the lead with wins in the top two doubles spots. The twin duo of Igor and Ivan Saveljic dominated the No. 1 matchup, taking down No. 22 Langmo and freshman Adria Soriano, 6-1.
Redshirt sophomore Dane Dunlap and freshman Bojan Jankulovski gave Alexis Galarneau and Michael Ogden a fight on the adjacent court, but were edged, 6-4, in the middle of the lineup.
Before play was halted, senior Nile Clark and freshman Pablo Aycart and NC State’s No. 3 tandem of Babelis and Georgiy Malyshev were tied at 5 in the final doubles match.
No. 45 Galarneau doubled the lead for his team with a victory in the only other match to finish in two sets – 7-5, 6-3 against No. 67 Soriano at the top of the lineup.
As Langmo put the Canes on the board, Jankulovski was leading against Igor Saveljic in the third set of the No. 3 matchup and senior Niclas Genovese had a chance to close out Malyshev in straight sets, but the Wolfpack players on those courts held off until two of their teammates sealed the victory.
In the No. 6 spot, Robert Turzak had a strong third-set showing against Miami’s freshman Tatsuki Shimamoto, winning 6-2, 2-6, 6-1 to put NC State within a point of a spot in the next round.
On court 4, Dunlap could not overcome a significant third-set deficit against Ivan Saveljic, who wrapped up a 3-6, 6-2, 6-1 comeback to clinch the match.
Jankulovski and Genovese never got to finish their matches. The rookie trailed, 5-4, in the decisive set after having won the second in eight games to tie the match.
Genovese and Malyshev were tied 1-1 in the third set after splitting the first two 7-5 and 6-7, respectively.
Miami will now await its NCAA Championship fate on Selection Tuesday, May 1, at 5:30 p.m.
For all of the latest news around Miami’s men’s tennis team, follow @CanesMensTennis on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram,or go to HurricaneSports.com.
RESULTS
Doubles Competition
1. Igor Saveljic/Ivan Saveljic (NCSU) def. No. 22 Christian Langmo/Adria Soriano (UM), 6-1
2. Alexis Galarneau/Michael Ogden (NCSU) def. Bojan Jankulovski/Dane Dunlap (UM), 6-4
3. Nile Clark/Pablo Aycart (UM) vs. Georgiy Malyshev/Tadas Babelis (NCSU), 5-5, unfinished
Singles Competition
1. No. 45 Alexis Galarneau (NCSU) def. No. 67 Adria Soriano (UM), 7-5, 6-3
2. Christian Langmo (UM) def. Tadas Babelis (NCSU), 6-3, 7-6 (7-5)
3. Bojan Jankulovski (UM) vs. Igor Saveljic (NCSU), 2-6, 6-2, 4-5, unfinished
4. Ivan Saveljic (NCSU) def. Dane Dunlap (UM), 3-6, 6-2, 6-3
5. Niclas Genovese (UM) vs. Georgiy Malyshev (NCSU), 7-5, 6-7, 1-1, unfinished
6. Robert Turzak (NCSU) def. Tatsuki Shimamoto (UM), 6-2, 2-6, 6-1
