TCU Tennis Beats UTA 5-2
{fshare id=2269}
ARLINGTON, Texas – The TCU men’s tennis team had to bounce back in singles play on the road Tuesday, taking down UT-Arlington by the score of 5-2.
“It is always good to win and I am happy that we won today,” TCU head coach David Roditi said. “I do think that we are getting away with some things that a team like Texas or Texas A&M won’t allow us to get away with. We are giving away way too many points in doubles. We’re not ready to play. We aren’t warming up the way we are supposed to be warming up. We are using our doubles to warm up for singles and that’s not going to be the way to beat anybody ranked in the top 20. That’s what we are shooting for and we’ve got to learn.”
The Horned Frogs (4-5) tried to set the tempo for the match during the doubles portion, but UTA had different plans. The Mavericks got off to an early 1-0 lead in the team score by earning wins at the top two courts. TCU’s team of Daniel Sanchez and Max Stevens claimed a convincing 8-4 win from the No. 3 court, but it came after the doubles tally had been decided.
Freshman Facundo Lugones got TCU rolling in singles, cruising to a 6-2, 6-0 win over Nicolas Moreno at the No. 4 position for the first point. The victory marks the second in as many matches for the Buenos Aires, Argentina native from the fourth court and pushed the team score to 1-1.
Newcomer Nick Chappell followed Lugones with a 6-4, 6-3 straight-set win over UTA’s Mindaugus Celedinas from the top position to give TCU the team lead for good at 2-1. The Indianapolis, Ind., product picked up his fifth-consecutive victory, moving his spring ledger to 6-1.
Junior JT Sundling kept the momentum in the Frogs’ favor, taking down Yauheni Yakauleu at the No. 2 court by the score of 7-6 (5), 6-1. In the end, it was Sanchez that clinched the team victory for TCU with a 6-2, 7-6 (5) decision from the No. 4 court. Sanchez, a native of Monterrey, Mexico, came back from being down 5-2 in the tiebreaker fifth five straight points to win.
Freshman Will Stein collected his second straight win with a 6-1, 7-5 score against UTA’s Stefan Williams at the No. 5 position after the team victory had been decided.
The Frogs will continue the road swing Friday at Texas A&M (Feb. 24). The next home match for TCU will be March 2 against Arizona.
