No. 31 Miami Edges UCF for Third-Straight Win
Feb. 21, 2010
Coral Gables, Fla. – Sophomore Ignacio Taboada rallied to lead the No. 31 University of Miami men’s tennis team past visiting UCF, 4-3, on Sunday afternoon during the second annual NCAA Funfest at Ashe-Buchholz Park in Miami.
The Hurricanes (4-2), winners of three straight, took the early 2-0 lead before the Knights won a pair of singles matches to tie the score at 2-all.
Miami’s top-flight tandem of Christian Blöcker and David Simon got the Hurricanes off to a strong start, knocking off UCF’s 24th ranked duo of Marc Rocafort and Blaze Schwartz, 8-4. UM’s Keith Crowley and Hector Nieto then clinched the doubles point for the second-straight match with the 9-7 victory at No. 2, improving to 4-0.
Blöckerkept the Hurricanes going in singles competition, cruising past UCF’s Nino Hasandedic at the No. 2 spot, 6-2, 6-1, to give Miami the 2-0 lead. But UCF (3-2) fought back, claiming singles wins at No. 4 and No. 6, to knot the match at 2-all.
No. 90 Carl Sundberg gave Miami the 3-2 advantage with a strong win at No. 1. After winning the first set, 7-5, he trailed 4-1 in the second set, but battled back to tie it at 4-4 before going on to win in straight sets, 7-5, 7-5 over UCF’s Rocafort, to claim his second straight in singles play and improve to 10-5.
With two matches remaining and the decision hanging in the balance, Taboada rallied back from a first-set loss to defeat Johan Beigart at No. 5, 6-7 (7-4), 6-2, 6-3, to improve to 6-1.
“UCF came very well prepared,” said Miami head coach Mario Rincon. “They have a really good team, especially in doubles. We were fortunate to win the doubles point, which gave us momentum heading into singles. Overall it was a good effort and we’re getting better as a team.”
For the second-straight year, the UM men’s tennis squad hosted a match at Ashe/Buchholz Tennis Center at Moore Park in Miami alongside the City of Miami Parks and Recreation Department and the Greater Miami Tennis & Education Foundation in order to promote tennis to socially and economically challenged youth. The men’s tennis team initially formed a relationship with the GMTEF three years ago and has since held clinics for the children both at UM and at Moore Park.
The Hurricanes return to competition in a week, playing host to USF on Sun., Feb. 28, at noon in the Neil Schiff Tennis Center.
No. 31 Miami 4, UCF 3
Singles
1. #90 Carl Sundberg (UM) def. Marc Rocafort (UCF) 7-5, 7-5
2. Christian Blocker (UM) def. Nino Hasandedic (UCF) 6-2, 6-1
3. Claudio Romano (UCF) def. Keith Crowley (UM) 4-6, 7-6, 6-2
4. Brock Sakey (UCF) def. Waylon Chin (UM) 6-4, 6-1
5. Ignacio Taboada (UM) def. Johan Beigart (UCF) 6-7 (7-4), 6-2, 6-3
6. Blaze Schwartz (UCF) def. David Simon (UM) 6-1, 4-6, 6-3
Order of Finish: (2, 4, 6, 1, 5*, 3)
Doubles
1. Christian Blocker/David Simon (UM) def. #24 Marc Rocafort/Blaze Schwartz (UCF) 8-4
2. Keith Crowley/Hector Nieto (UM) def. Joe Delinks/Johan Beigart (UCF) 9-7
3. Brock Sakey/Claudio Romano (UCF) def. Carl Sundberg/Ignacio Taboada (UM) 8-6
Order of Finish: (1, 3, 2*)
