[su_spacer size=”40″] The sixth-ranked Georgia men’s tennis team (1-0) started off its 2016 season with a 4-1 victory over No. 48 UC Santa Barbara (1-3) on Saturday in the ITA Kickoff.
[su_spacer size=”40″] The Bulldogs will face No. 44 Memphis on Sunday at 5 p.m. at the Lindsey Hopkins Indoor Facility for a berth in the National Team Indoor Facility.
[su_spacer size=”40″] “I’m pleased with the result and that we were really challenged,” said head coach Manuel Diaz. “I thought our guys had to play extremely well to earn that doubles point. Austin I thought played a complete match and Wayne got the job done without playing his best. It was great to see Walker clinch that as a freshman.”
[su_spacer size=”40″] Georgia won a dramatic doubles point after taking matches on courts 1 and 2. Redshirt sophomore Paul Oosterbaan and freshman Jan Zielinski took the first match 6-2 over the Gauchos’ Nicolas Moreno de Alboran/Chase Masciorini. After Georgia’s No. 45 pair of Emil Reinberg and Wayne Montgomery fell to UC Santa Barbara’s Anders Holm and Oliver Sec 6-2, the Bulldogs’ top team clinched the point in a tiebreaker. Georgia’s 10^th-ranked Ben Wagland and Austin Smith defeated the Gaucho’s Nathan Eshmade and Miles Seemann 7-6(6) ended by an emphatic overhead by Smith.
[su_spacer size=”40″] In singles, Georgia continued its strong play with back-to-back two-set victories at its top two positions. No. 28 Smith was first off the court with a quick 6-1, 6-4 win over Morgan Mays. Montgomery, ranked 20^th nationally, topped the Gaucho’s Nathan Eshmade 6-4, 6-3 to give the Bulldogs a 3-0 advantage. Freshman Walker Duncan (ranked No. 105) provided the match clincher for Georgia with his first career dual match victory over UC Santa Barbara’s Oliver Sec, 7-5, 6-4.
[su_spacer size=”40″] Before the Georgia-Memphis match on Sunday, UC Santa Barbara will take on No. 37 Louisville in the consolation match at 9 a.m. on Sunday.
[su_spacer size=”40″] For more information on the Georgia men’s tennis team, follow the team on Twitter (@UGATennis), Instagram (@ugatennis) and Facebook (UGA Men’s Tennis).
[su_spacer size=”40″] Results
[su_spacer size=”40″] UC Santa Barbara vs Georgia

Jan 23, 2016 at Athens, Ga.

(Lindsey Hopkins Indoor Facility)
[su_spacer size=”40″] #6 Georgia 4, #48 UC Santa Barbara 1
[su_spacer size=”40″] Singles competition

1. #28 Austin Smith (UGA) def. Morgan Mays (UCSB) 6-1, 6-4
2. #20 Wayne Montgomery (UGA) def. Nathan Eshmade (UCSB) 6-4, 6-3
3. N. Moreno de Alboran (UCSB) def. #40 Paul Oosterbaan (UGA) 7-5, 6-3
4. #105 Walker Duncan (UGA) def. Oliver Sec (UCSB) 7-5, 6-4
5. Jan Zielinski (UGA) vs. Cody Rakela (UCSB) 6-3, 2-3, unfinished
6. Emil Reinberg (UGA) vs. Anders Holm (UCSB) 5-5, unfinished

[su_spacer size=”40″] Doubles competition

1. #10 Austin Smith/Ben Wagland (UGA) def. Nathan Eshmade/Miles Seemann (UCSB) 7-6 (8-6)
2. Paul Oosterbaan/Jan Zielinski (UGA) def. N. Moreno de Alboran/Chase Masciorini (UCSB) 6-2
3. Anders Holm/Oliver Sec (UCSB) def. #45 Emil Reinberg/Wayne Montgomery (UGA) 6-2

[su_spacer size=”40″] Match Notes:

UC Santa Barbara 1-3; National ranking #48

Georgia 1-0; National ranking #6

Order of finish: Doubles (2,3,1); Singles (1,2,4,3)