MTennis Downs ULL 4-3 at ITA Kickoff Weekend

CORAL GABLES, Fla. – No. 64 University of Miami men’s tennis defeated No. 71 University of Louisiana Lafayette, 4-3, to advance to the championship match of the ITA Kick-off Weekend event held in Columbus, Ohio.

With the victory, Miami advanced to the championship match of the four-team regional tournament, facing No. 4 Ohio State Sunday at 1 p.m. The winner will play in the ITA National Indoor Championship Feb. 15 in Seattle, Wash.

“We had a really good win against Louisiana Lafayette,” said Coach Mario Rincon. “They are very strong at every position and great competitors. It is amazing how many good teams there are in college tennis this year.”

Wilfredo Gonzalez won his singles match in three sets to clinch the win for the Canes, but it was the play of newcomer William Albanese that turned the momentum for Miami.

“William was the first to get the win in singles and tie the match,” said Rincon. “After that, there were a lot of close matches and the guys felt the momentum go our way. We really finished strong in the last 15-20 minutes of the match.”

After falling behind with a pair of losses in doubles, followed by a singles defeat, the Canes won four-straight singles matched to win the event.

“It was a good day for us,” added Rincon. “We played a really good match and our guys competed very well.”

After Victor Mauz was defeated 6-4, 6-3, by Edgar Lopez, Diego Soto downed Rick de Groot, 6-1, 1-6, 6-3 to earn Miami’s first victory of the day. William Albanese, Gabriel Flores and Wilfredo Gonzalez followed suit, totaling four-straight UM victories.

Albanese was the only Cane to win in straight sets, defeating Damian Farinola 6-2, 7-5. Flores defeated Jake Wynan 7-6, 1-6, 6-4, then Gonzalez sealed the win with a 6-7, 6-2, 6-4 victory. Marco Stancati was defeated 6-3 in the tiebreaker (4-6, 7-6, 7-6) by Hunter Goetz.

In doubles, Gonzalez and Stancati were defeated 8-5 by de Groot and Jake Wynan while Omar Aly and Albanese lost, 8-3, to Jarred Wynan and Lopez. Soto and Henrique Tsukamoto led Hunter Johnson and Yates Johnson 7-6 before the match was called and scored as unfinished.

“I’m very proud of the guys and we’re looking forward to playing Ohio State in the Championship tomorrow,” concluded Rincon. “We just have to stay strong and be mentally tough. We did that to win today.”

For more information on the University of Miami men’s tennis team, log on to HurricaneSports.com. To follow the UM men’s tennis team socially, visit Twitter.com/CanesMensTennis and Facebook at /MiamiHurricanesMensTennis. 

Tennis Match Results
Louisiana-Lafayette University vs Miami, Fla.
Jan 26, 2013 at Columbus, Ohio
(Varsity Tennis Center)

#65 Miami, Fla. 4, #71 Louisiana-Lafayette University 3
Singles competition
1. Diego Soto (MIA) def. Rick de Groot (ULL) 6-1, 1-6, 6-3
2. Wilfredo Gonzales (MIA) def. Jarred Wynan (ULL) 6-7, 6-2, 6-4
3. Gabriel Flores (MIA) def. Jake Wynan (ULL) 7-6, 1-6, 6-4
4. Edgar Lopez (ULL) def. Victor Mauz (MIA) 6-4, 6-3
5. Hunter Goetz (ULL) def. Marco Stancati (MIA) 4-6, 7-6, 7-6 (6-3)
6. William Albanese (MIA) def. Damian Farinola (ULL) 6-2, 7-5
Doubles competition
1. Rick de Groot/Jake Wynan (ULL) def. Wilfredo Gonzales/Marco Stancati (MIA) 8-5
2. Jarred Wynan/Edgar Lopez (ULL) def. Omar Aly/William Albanese (MIA) 8-3
3. Diego Soto/Henrique Tsukamoto (MIA) vs. Hunter Johnson/Yates Johnson (ULL) 8-6
Match Notes:
Order of finish: Doubles (2,1); Singles (4,1,6,3,2,5)
T-4:00