University of Washington
Pacific
Huskies Notch 7-0 Win Over Pacific
January 21, 2011 | Men's Tennis
Jan. 21, 2011
SEATTLE - Marton Bots waited a year and a match to get into his first college tennis match, then packed about a season's worth of drama into his debut. The Hungarian sophomore saved two match points in a third set tiebreaker to get his first singles win, and wrap up a 7-0 victory for the Husky men's tennis team over Pacific tonight at Nordstrom Tennis Center.
Bots, who sat out UW's opener last week as a precaution for a minor injury, was understandably nervous in his first set against Alex Golding of Pacific at No. 5 singles, and he dropped the set, 6-2. But he found his groove in the second set and picked up a 6-2 set win of his own. In the third, Golding served for the match at 6-5, but Bots broke to force a tiebreak. Golding held two match points at 6-4, but Bots toughed them out, and then after taking a 7-6 lead, he hammered a backhand return crosscourt to claim victory.
"It's his first day of collegiate team tennis, and in doubles he wins a tiebreaker, then in singles it's a third set tiebreaker. So I think it's going to be a roller coaster with Marton," said Head Coach Matt Anger.
The Tigers definitely provided a stern challenge for the 26h-ranked Huskies (2-0). Despite being unranked, Pacific showed a lot of depth, and Coach Anger was pleased with the 7-0 win against a team that will likely be moving up.
"I don't think they will remain unranked," Anger said. "They're very solid, I liked their team. Their guys competed hard everywhere I saw. I think they'll get better and we hope they do, because that helps us down the road."
For the second-straight match, senior Jeevan Nedunchezhiyan refused to give any ground in his No. 1 singles match. Nedunchezhiyan kept Artem Gramma off the board, posting a 6-0, 6-0 win. That came on the heels of a speedy Brad Bator victory at sixth singles. The senior handled Angus Thomson, 6-0, 6-2.
The clinching point came from 83rd-ranked senior Martin Kildahl, who was methodical in a 6-4, 6-2 win over Fernando Ristow at third singles. At No. 2 singles, 81st-ranked sophomore Kyle McMorrow came back from an early break down to take his first set, 7-5, against a hard-hitting Ivan Castro, and then pulled away in the second for a 6-2 win.
While most matches were already wrapped up, senior Tobi Obenaus was still battling in his first set against Tomasz Krzyszkowski. Trailing 2-5, Obeanus rallied back to take it to a tiebreaker, and finally pulled it out, 7-4. He then pulled away from a tiring Krzyszkowski in set two, winning the final four games for a 6-2 victory.
The Huskies took the early 1-0 lead with some solid doubles play. McMorrow and Nedunchezhiyan, ranked 30th nationally, handled Golding and Castro, 8-3, at the top spot. At No. 2, 33rd-ranked Kildahl and Obenaus won five of the final six games to win 8-5 over Ristow and Krzyszkowski. After UW had clinched the point, the No. 3 match went to a tiebreak at 6-6, with Bots and junior Matt Stith coming through with a 7-4 victory over Gramma and Thomson.
On Sunday, the Dawgs will face their first ranked opponent, as No. 43 Boise State visits. First serve is scheduled for 12 noon.
Washington Men's Tennis
Nordstrom Tennis Center - Seattle, Wash.
January 21, 2011
No. 26 Washington 7; Pacific 0
Doubles
1) (30) McMorrow/Nedunchezhiyan (UW) def. Golding/Castro (Pac), 8-3
2) (33) Kildahl/Obenaus (UW) def. Ristow/Krzyszkowski (Pac), 8-5
3) Bots/Stith (UW) def. Gramma/Thomson (Pac), 7-6 (4)
Order of finish: 1, 2, 3
Singles
1) (92) Jeevan Nedunchezhiyan (UW) def. Artem Gramma (Pac), 6-0, 6-0
2) (81) Kyle McMorrow (UW) def. Ivan Castro (Pac), 7-5, 6-3
3) (83) Martin Kildahl (UW) def. Fernando Ristow (Pac), 6-4, 6-2
4) Tobi Obenaus (UW) def. Tomasz Krzyszkowski (Pac), 7-6 (4), 6-2
5) Marton Bots (UW) def. Alex Golding (Pac), 2-6, 6-2, 7-6 (6)
6) Brad Bator (UW) def. Angus Thomson (Pac), 6-0, 6-2
Order of finish: 6, 1, 3, 2, 4, 5
Players Mentioned
