[su_spacer size=”40″] The loss eliminates Georgia from the tournament and gives the SEC champions a final record of 24-5 for the season. Oklahoma (27-2) advances to the semifinals to face TCU on Monday.
[su_spacer size=”40″] “There is no denying, our guys fought to the very end,” said head coach Manuel Diaz. “Oklahoma just played a little bit better than we did. I am pleased with the way we competed. We could have played a little better at certain points, but Oklahoma just controlled play and dictated play more than we did, and they got the victory.”
[su_spacer size=”40″] The Bulldogs fell behind early with dropped doubles matches on courts 1 and 3. The No. 1-ranked tandem of juniors Austin Smith and Ben Wagland were the first to lose as they fell 8-3 to Andrew Harris and Alex Ghilea on court 1. Freshman Paul Oosterbaan and senior Eric Diaz were then bested 8-5 on court 3 as Oklahoma took the doubles point and a 1-0 lead heading into singles. Senior Nathan Pasha and freshman Wayne Montgomery’s match on court 2 went unfinished, although the duo was up 7-6 when play ended.
[su_spacer size=”40″] The Bulldogs started strong in singles, going up a break on four of six courts in the first sets. They only managed to win two of them, however, as Oklahoma took four first sets across the courts and ultimately wrapped up the match with victories on courts 1, 6 and 4.
[su_spacer size=”40″] One of the Sooners’ wins arrived via Axel Alvarez, the nation’s top-ranked player, as he beat Georgia freshman Wayne Montgomery (24) 6-1, 6-1 to double the Oklahoma advantage from court 1. It was a rematch of the Southern Intercollegiate quarterfinal last fall, won by Montgomery in three sets.
[su_spacer size=”40″] Pasha (31), playing in his final team match for Georgia, brought the Bulldogs back within one with a 6-2, 6-3 domination of Dane Webb (44) on court 3. The win was the 122nd singles win of Pasha’s career, giving him a tally of 223 combined victories that ranks seventh in Georgia’s record books.
[su_spacer size=”40″] Oosterbaan’s 6-4, 6-2 loss to Florin Bragusi on court 6 brought the Sooners within one point of clinching the match, although a third set victory by junior Nick Wood allowed the Knoxville, Tenn., native to claim Georgia’s second point of the match with a 6-2, 2-6, 6-3 victory over Spencer Papa on court 5.
[su_spacer size=”40″] Down 3-2, the Bulldogs needed wins from both Smith on court 2 and Wagland on court 4 in order to turn the tables and take the match. Wagland was down 5-2 in his second set after losing 7-6(4) in the first but battled back to draw level with Alex Ghilea (103) at 5-5. However, the Sydney, Australia, native was unable to break Ghilea in the next game and double faulted when serving against match point to lose 7-5. Smith’s match on court 2 went unfinished.
[su_spacer size=”40″] “We actually looked good in a lot of spots,” Manuel Diaz said. “We had a chance to win the match all the way to the very end. It was Nick and Nathan who put us in that position. We kind of just made a run out of them. Austin was up a set at one point there at No. 2. Ben broke back to get the tiebreaker. We just couldn’t close either one of those sets. We competed well. You’ve got to give the credit to Oklahoma, they played a little bit better than we did. They deserved to go forward and we wish them the best.”
[su_spacer size=”40″] Four Bulldogs will be in action in the NCAA Singles and Doubles Championships here next week. Montgomery, Smith and Pasha will open play in the singles tournament on Wednesday, while Smith and Wagland will play in the doubles championship beginning Thursday.
[su_spacer size=”40″] This season marked the eight time in 10 years that the Bulldogs won 24 or more matches.
[su_spacer size=”40″] #1 OKLAHOMA (29-2) def. #8 GEORGIA (24-5) 4-2 – Hurd Tennis Center Grandstand Courts – 10 am
Doubles (Order of finish: 1, 3)
1. #57 Andrew Harris/Alex Ghilea (OKLAHOMA) def. #1 Austin Smith/Ben Wagland (GEORGIA), 8-3
2. Dane Webb/Spencer Papa (OKLAHOMA) vs. Wayne Montgomery/Nathan Pasha (GEORGIA), UNF (6-7)
3. Axel Alvarez/Jose Salazar (OKLAHOMA) def. Eric Diaz/Paul Osterbaan (GEORGIA), 8-5
[su_spacer size=”40″] Singles (Order of finish: 1, 3, 6, 5, 4)
1. #1 Axel Alvarez (OKLAHOMA) def.#24 Wayne Montgomery (GEORGIA), 6-1, 6-1
2. #7 Andrew Harris (OKLAHOMA) vs. #30 Austin Smith (GEORGIA), UNF (4-6, 6-4, 5-4)
3. #31 Nathan Pasha (GEORGIA) def. #44 Dane Webb (OKLAHOMA), 6-2, 6-3
4. #103 Alex Ghilea (OKLAHOMA) def. Ben Wagland (GEORGIA), 7-6(4), 7-5
5. Nick Wood (GEORGIA) def. Spencer Papa (OKLAHOMA), 6-2, 2-6, 6-3
6. Florin Bragusi (OKLAHOMA) def. Paul Oosterbaan (GEORGIA), 6-4, 6-2