Miami Downs No. 20 NC State for First Top-25 Win
CORAL GABLES, Fla. – The University of Miami men’s tennis team bounced back in impressive fashion on Sunday, defeating the No. 20 NC State Wolfpack, 4-2, for its first win over a top-25 team this season. Miami moves to 10-2 on the season and 1-1 in conference play, with their only losses coming to No. 2 Baylor and No. 7 Wake Forest.
The Wolfpack (10-3 1-2 ACC) drew first blood, as the match opened with fourth-year juniors Juan Martin Jalif and Oren Vasser falling to the second doubles duo of No. 51 Fons Van Sambeek and Martin Rocens, 6-2. At first doubles, the No. 27 team of fifth-year senior Benjamin Hannestad and fourth-year junior Franco Aubone worked their way back from down 1-3, but ultimately dropped a 6-3 decision to No. 34 Robin Catry and Luca Staeheli.
Freshman Martin Katz and graduate student Dan Martin were in a battle on court three, trading games with Collin Shick and Yannai Barkai when the doubles point was clinched.
The tides turned when the Hurricanes took the court for singles action, with five of the six Hurricanes winning their first set. Katz notched the first point for the Canes, posting a 6-3, 6-2 win in dominant fashion over NC State’s Braden Shick at sixth singles.
Not to be outdone, Vasser followed quickly behind with the Hurricanes’ second point, posting a 6-2, 6-0 victory over Rocens on court four. The third point for the Hurricanes came from Martin, who is currently the No. 117 singles player in the nation. The Laval, Quebec, Canada, native won his match at first singles in straight sets, 6-3, 6-2, over no. 84 Rafa Izquierdo to move to a perfect 8-0 in the top position this season.
Hannestad fell to Staeheli, 7-6 (7-5), 6-0, in Miami’s only singles loss on the day. Simultaneously, fifth-year senior Bojan Jankulovski earned the match-clinching point for the Hurricanes. Despite No. 101 Catry’s best efforts to make a second-set comeback, Jankulovski pulled off the 6-4, 6-4 victory and lifted the Hurricanes into double digit wins this season.
Miami returns to the Neil Schiff Tennis Center for its seventh and eighth straight home matches on March 9 when it hosts the Memphis Tigers and the Army Black Knights. The matches against Memphis and Army are set to start at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m., respectively.
#21 Miami 4, #20 NC State 2
Singles competition
1. #117 Dan Martin (UM1) def. #84 Rafa Izquierdo Luque (NCST) 6-3, 6-2
2. Bojan Jankulovski (UM1) def. #101 Robin Catry (NCST) 6-4, 6-4
3. Luca Staeheli (NCST) def. Benjamin Hannestad (UM1) 7-6 (7-5), 6-0
4. Oren Vasser (UM1) def. Martins Rocens (NCST) 6-2, 6-0
5. Juan Martin Jalif (UM1) vs. Damien Salvestre (NCST) 2-6, 6-4, 2-2, unfinished
6. Martin Katz (UM1) def. Braden Shick (NCST) 6-3, 6-2
Doubles competition
1. #34 Robin Catry/Luca Staeheli (NCST) def. #27 Franco Aubone/Benjamin Hannestad (UM1) 6-3
2. #51 Fons Van Sambeek/Martins Rocens (NCST) def. Juan Martin Jalif/Oren Vasser (UM1) 6-2
3. Dan Martin/Martin Katz (UM1) vs. Collin Shick/Yannai Barkai (NCST) 4-5, unfinished
