Men's Tennis Advances in NCAA Championships
May 8, 2009
GAINESVILLE, FLA… – Freshman Ignacio Taboada won his seventh-straight match to clinch the 4-0 victory for the No. 22 University of Miami men’s tennis team over No. 53 Columbia in the first round of the NCAA Division I Men’s Tennis Championships at the University of Florida’s Linder Stadium at Ring Tennis Complex on Friday afternoon.
The Hurricanes (15-8), who are competing in their fourth-straight NCAA tournament and their 25th since 1977, advance to Saturday’s second round to take on the winner of the match between No. 10 Florida and Marist at 4 p.m.
“Our guys took advantage of early opportunities and were able to capitalize on them,” said head Miami coach Mario Rincon. “With the temperature in the 90s, I didn’t want them to be out there too long. We are looking forward to a great match tomorrow.”
Miami won the doubles point with victories at No. 1 by its 38th-ranked tandem of All-American Daniel Vallverdu and David Rosenfeld, 8-3, and at No. 3 by All-American Carl Sundberg and Keith Crowley, 8-4 – who won their fifth straight to secure the 1-0 lead.
The Hurricanes quickly went up 2-0 over the Lions (16-6) when Columbia’s Bogdan Borta had to retire after Rosenfeld took the 6-4 first-set win at No. 2 singles, giving the Hurricanes their first singles point of the afternoon.
Crowley won his eighth-straight singles match to give the Hurricanes the 3-0 advantage. He cruised past Ekin Sezgen, 6-3, 6-1, at the No. 4 position to earn his team-high tying 23rd singles victory of the season.
Taboada clinched the game-winner for the Hurricanes at No. 6, tying Crowley with his 23rd win of the season. He downed Columbia’s Rajeev Deb-Sen, 6-1, 6-4, to become one of just nine Miami freshman to hit the 23-win mark in their first season.
No. 22 Miami 4, No. 53 Columbia 0
Singles
1. Daniel Vallverdu (UM) vs. Jonathan Wong (COL), 6-3, 3-3, unfinished
2. David Rosenfeld (UM) def. Bogdan Borta (COL), 6-4, retired
3. Carl Sundberg (UM) vs. Mihai Nichifor (COL), 2-6, 4-5, unfinished
4. Keith Crowley (UM) def. Ekin Sezgen (COL), 6-3, 6-1
5. Christian Blocker (UM) vs. Haig Schneiderman (COL), 6-4, 5-2, unfinished
6. Ignacio Taboada (UM) def. Rajeev Deb-Sen (COL), 6-1, 6-4
Order of finish: 2, 4, 6
Doubles
1. #38 Daniel Vallverdu/David Rosenfeld (UM) def. Bogdan Borta/Mihai Nichifor (COL) 8-3
2. Jonathan Wong/Haig Schneiderman (COL) def. David Simon/Christian Blocker (UM) 8-1
3. Carl Sundberg/Keith Crowley (UM) def. Dan Urban/Rajeev Deb-Sen (COL) 8-4
Order of finish: 2, 1, 3
