No. 14 Miami Upsets No. 8 Virginia 4-3
April 7, 2006
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. –
The 14th-ranked <?xml:namespace prefix=”st1″ ns=”urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags”?>Miami men’s tennis team handed No. 8 Virginia it’s first ACC loss in two seasons Friday afternoon, knocking off the Cavaliers 4-3 at the SynderTennisCenter.<?xml:namespace prefix=”o” ns=”urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office”?>
The victory over the Cavaliers (17-6, 7-1 ACC), who entered Friday with an impressive 24-match winning steak in league play dating back to 2004, marks Miami’s (14-3, 6-2 ACC) fourth over a higher ranked opponent this season and their second-straight over a top 10 team.
“Anytime you get the opportunity to win against a team as good as Virginia, that’s a major accomplishment,” said Rincon. “Winning on the road is always tough and as competitive as the ACC is, every victory is important. Our team is really hitting our stride right now and playing some of the best tennis I’ve seen.”
Virginia opened the afternoon with a 3-0 sweep in doubles, including the Cavaliers’ 27th-ranked tandem of Rylan Rizza and Nick Meythaler’s 8-5 victory over UM’s 30th-ranked duo of Luigi D’Agord and Daniel Vallverdu on the No. 1 court.
Heading into singles, D’Agord – ranked 5th nationally – put UM on the board first with a 6-3, 6-4 win over No. 9 Somdev Devvarman at the No. 1 spot.
Virginia’s 53rd-ranked Treat Huey claimed the next singles point, downing Tim Krebs 6-2, 6-4 at No. 4.
Finishing next was UM’s Vallverdu, who upended No. 91 Doug Stewart 6-1, 6-4 at No. 2 just before John Hoyes defeated UVa’ Darrin Cohen 6-1, 6-3 at No. 6.
The match drew to a 3-3 tie when Rizza overtook the Hurricanes’ 72nd-ranked Josh Cohen 6-3, 5-7, 6-3 on the No. 2 court.
With the deciding match point focused on court No. 5, Miami’s Eric Hechtman bounced back from a 6-4 first set loss to Marko Miklo to win 6-2, 6-1 in the second and third sets, respectively, clinching the upset bid for the Hurricanes.
Miami returns to action Sunday, taking on Virginia Tech in Blacksburg at 2 p.m.
Doubles:
1) #27 Rizza/Meythaler (UVa) def. #30 D’Agord/Vellverdu (UM) 8-5
2) Huey/Devvarman (UVa) def. Krebs/Subramanian (UM) 8-6
3. Cohen/Stewart (UVa) def. Hechtman/Cohen (UM) 8-2
Singles:
1. #5 Somdev Devvarman (UVa) 6-3, 6-4
2. Doug Stewart (UVa) 6-1, 6-4
3. #67 Rylan Rizza (UVa) def. #72 Treat Huey (UVa) def. Marko Miklo (UVa) 4-6, 6-2, 6-1
6. Darrin Cohen (UVa) 6-1, 6-3
