MTennis Set to Host Doubleheader on Saturday
CORAL GABLES, Fla. – After splitting a pair of dual matches last weekend, the No. 67 University of Miami men’s tennis team will return to action for a doubleheader on Saturday, March 9 at the Neil Schiff Tennis Center, facing Georgetown at 10 a.m. before battling Florida Gulf Coast at 3 p.m. The Hurricanes are 7-4 on the season with a 4-1 record at home.
The Canes are coming off a back-to-back last weekend in Lubbock, Texas, facing then-No. 58 Texas Tech on Friday, March 1 and New Mexico on Saturday, March 2.
Miami was on the court for over four hours against Texas Tech, but dropped a closely contested match to the Red Raiders, 4-3, at the McLeod Tennis Center. After surrendering the doubles and losing two straight singles matches, the Hurricanes rallied from a 3-0 deficit but lost in a match-deciding No. 5 singles tiebreaker.
The Hurricanes responded the following day with a strong performance against New Mexico, as they cruised to a 5-2 victory. Miami fell behind early after giving the doubles point to the Lobos, but claimed five singles wins to secure the victory.
No. 1 singles player Diego Soto will look to repeat his success from last weekend, as he won both of his singles matches. In the Texas Tech match, Soto outlasted Vitor Manzini in a hard fought three set battle, winning 4-6, 6-3, 7-5. Against New Mexico, Soto came out on top of another three set match that ended in a 4-6, 6-3, 1-0(9) victory.
Omar Aly also shined in singles play last weekend, notching two singles wins in straight sets. After battling to a 6-2, 7-6 victory over Texas Tech’s Felipe Soares, Aly followed up with a lopsided, 6-1, 6-2 win over Riaan Du Toit in the match against New Mexico. The Edmond, Okla., native has posted a 3-1 mark since his return to the singles lineup on Feb. 10.
William Albanese will look to continue his strong freshman campaign, as he grabbed his seventh singles win this season with a 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 victory in the match against Texas Tech last weekend.
Wilfredo Gonzalez defeated New Mexico’s Conor Berger last weekend, 6-2, 6-2, giving him a team-high eight singles wins on the dual season.
After dropping the match-deciding singles duel on court five against Texas Tech, junior Marco Stancati responded with a strong performance against New Mexico, defeating Mitch McDaniels in straight sets, 6-1, 7-5.
Rounding out Miami’s scoring last weekend was junior Gabriel Flores as he won a No. 2 singles matchup against New Mexico, defeating Jadon Phillips, 6-4, 6-4.
Georgetown entered a stretch of three games in four days with its 5-2 loss to Florida Atlantic on March 6 in Boca Raton, Fla. The Hoyas, 2-6, are slated to visit Barry on Friday, March 8 before rounding out their Florida road trip with the match on Saturday against Miami. Georgetown is currently 1-5 in road games this season.
Florida Gulf Coast is coming off a tough, 6-1, lost to No. 54 Old Dominion, dropping its record to 4-5 on the dual season. In singles, the Eagles are lead by junior Dean Tsamas with a 7-2 record on the season. No. 1 singles duo Jackson Moore and Jordi Vives paces doubles play for the Eagles with 4-2 mark this season. In away matches this season, Florida Gulf Coast has posted 0-2 record.
For more information on the University of Miami men’s tennis team, visit HurricaneSports.com. To follow the UM men’s tennis team socially, visit Twitter.com/CanesMensTennis and Facebook at /MiamiHurricanesMensTennis.
