The 11th-ranked Georgia men’s tennis team fell in the opening round of the ITA National Men’s Team Indoor Championship to No. 9 UCLA, 4-3. The Bulldogs (3-2) were seeded 10th at the Championship, held at Boar’s Head Sports Club, while the Bruins (6-1) were seeded seventh in the teams’ second matchup of the spring season.

 
 
“It was a very tough, heartbreaking match for our guys,” head coach Manuel Diaz said. “UCLA played very well and deserves all the credit for coming back after being down. Our guys just have to keep their heads up and keep fighting. We have to get better, and I know that we will.”
 
 
Georgia’s No. 2 doubles pairing of Paul Oosterbaan and Jan Zielinski took the first match over UCLA’s Joseph Di Giulio and Karue Sell, 6-4 before the Bulldogs fell on court Nos. 1 and 3 in consecutive matches to lose the doubles point.
 
 
The Bruins quickly extended the overall advantage to 2-0 in singles as Sell defeated No. 75 Oosterbaan 6-4, 6-3. Georgia then came roaring back in singles with back-to-back-to-back victories from Austin Smith, Nick Wood and Emil Reinberg. Smith, ranked 40th in the country got the Bulldogs on the board with a 6-3, 6-3 victory over No. 80 Gage Brymer at court No. 2. Wood followed that up with a three-set decision over Austin Rapp, 3-6, 6-2, 6-1 at No. 6. Reinberg’s 6-4, 7-5 dispatch of Logan Staggs on the fifth court gave Georgia the 3-2 overall edge.
 
 
The Bruins would eventually come back to take the close victory with two three-set wins at Nos. 3 and 1. Freshman Jan Zielinski was edged by No. 37 Martin Redlicki at the three-spot 4-6, 6-1, 6-4 before No. 22 Wayne Montgomery was defeated by No. 34 Mackenzie McDonald 5-7, 6-2, 6-1 at No. 1.
 
 
Following National Indoors, the Bulldogs begin the outdoor portion of the spring season. The outdoor season begins in Athens on February 28 at 2 p.m. ET against ETSU before Georgia hosts its SEC opener on March 4 against Mississippi State.
 
 

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TENNIS MATCH RESULTS:

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#11 Georgia

VS.

#9 UCLA

 

Feb 12, 2016 at ITA National Men’s Team Indoor

 

(Boar’s Head Sports Club, Charlottesville)

 

#11 Georgia – (3) looses to #9 UCLA – (4)

 
 

Match Notes:

 

First Round

 

Georgia 3-2; National ranking #11

 

UCLA 6-1; National ranking #9

 

Order of finish: Doubles (2,1,3); Singles (4,2,6,5,3,1)

 
 

Singles competition

 
1. #34 Mackenzie McDonald (UCLA) def. #22 Wayne Montgomery (UGA) 5-7, 6-2, 6-1
2. #40 Austin Smith (UGA) def. #80 Gage Brymer (UCLA) 6-3, 6-3
3. #37 Martin Redlicki (UCLA) def. Jan Zielinski (UGA) 4-6, 6-1, 6-4
4. Karue Sell (UCLA) def. #75 Paul Oosterbaan (UGA) 6-4, 6-3
5. Emil Reinberg (UGA) def. Logan Staggs (UCLA) 6-4, 7-5
6. Nick Wood (UGA) def. Austin Rapp (UCLA) 3-6, 6-2, 6-1
 
 

Doubles competition

 
1. #12 Mackenzie McDonald/Martin Redlicki (UCLA) def. #13 Austin Smith/Ben Wagland (UGA) 6-3
2. Paul Oosterbaan/Jan Zielinski (UGA) def. Joseph Di Giulio/Karue Sell (UCLA) 6-4
3. Gage Brymer/Austin Rapp (UCLA) def. Wayne Montgomery/Emil Reinberg (UGA) 6-3
 

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For more information on the Georgia men’s tennis team, follow the team on:

 

Twitter: @UGATennis

 

Instagram: @ugatennis

 

Facebook: UGA Men’s Tennis

 

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