“It was a great match, and I thought it was a wonderful way to get everybody involved,” said Georgia coach Manuel Diaz. “We had eight singles matches and three doubles matches, and overall I’m very pleased with the way everybody played. It’s been almost a week since National Indoors, and we tried to play a match outdoors today, but the weather wouldn’t cooperate. Regardless, I thought it was important for us to come in today and have a good match. I was really happy with the way we played.”
Sunday’s score marked the first time Georgia has reached nine points in a match since a 9-0 victory against Georgia Tech in 1992.
After the rainy conditions forced the match indoors, Georgia won on courts Nos. 1 and 3 in doubles to gain the early advantage. Paul Oosterbaan and Nick Wood defeated Furman’s Jacob Behal and Stefan Rhodes 6-2 at No. 3. Georgia’s Austin Smith and Ben Wagland quickly followed with a 6-3 victory over the Paladins’ Matt Browne and Ben Horst at No. 1.
The Bulldogs never let up in singles, winning all eight matches. Junior Nathan Pasha notched the first singles point with a 6-3, 6-3 victory over Browne at No. 2 before freshman Wayne Montgomery topped Furman’s Adam Steryous 6-1, 6-3 on No. 1. Smith defeated Cameron Green 7-6 (7-5), 6-2 on No. 3 to give the Bulldogs the 4-0 advantage.
Wagland aced his final point to clinch his first match of the season with a 2-6, 6-2, 6-2 victory over Horst at No. 4. Oosterbaan claimed a dominant 6-2, 6-2 win over the Paladins’ Juan Sheppard, while Wood cruised past Behal 6-4, 6-2 at No. 5 to reach the Bulldogs’ seventh point.
Both senior Eric Diaz and freshman Peter Bertran claimed victories in their first singles dual match action of the season. Diaz topped Furman’s Luke Synn 6-3, 1-6, 1-0 (10-5) before Bertran finished the day with a 6-2, 6-2 victory over Stefan Rhodes.
Georgia will open SEC play against No. 16 Florida in Gainesville on Thursday before facing Auburn on Saturday.
—
Tennis Match Results
Furman vs Georgia
Feb. 22, 2015 at Athens, Ga.
(Lindsey Hopkins Indoor Facility)
#3 Georgia 9, Furman 0
Singles competition
1. #17 Wayne Montgomery (UGA) def. Adam Steryous (FUR) 6-1, 6-3
2. #15 Nathan Pasha (UGA) def. Matt Browne (FUR) 6-3, 6-3
3. #21 Austin Smith (UGA) def. Cameron Green (FUR) 7-6(5), 6-2
4. Ben Wagland (UGA) def. Ben Horst (FUR) 2-6, 6-2, 6-2
5. Nick Wood (UGA) def. Jacob Behal (FUR) 6-4, 6-2
6. Paul Oosterbaan (UGA) def. Juan Sheppard (FUR) 6-2, 6-2
7. Eric Diaz (UGA) def. Luke Synn (FUR) 6-3, 1-6, 1-0(5)
8. Peter Bertran (UGA) def. Stefan Rhodes (FUR) 6-2, 6-2
Doubles competition
1. Austin Smith/Ben Wagland (UGA) def. Matt Browne/Ben Horst (FUR) 6-3
2. Eric Diaz/Nathan Pasha (UGA) vs. Cameron Green/Adam Steryous (FUR) 4-5, unfinished
3. Paul Oosterbaan/Nick Wood (UGA) def. Jacob Behal/Stefan Rhodes (FUR) 6-2
Match Notes:
Furman 2-9
Georgia 7-2; National ranking #3
Order of finish: Doubles (3,1); Singles (2,1,3,4,6,5,7,8)
Official: Clark Weaver T-3:28 A-252
Match played indoors