The third-ranked Georgia men’s tennis team completed another perfect weekend in SEC play with a 4-2 win over Kentucky Saturday afternoon at UK’s Boone Tennis Complex.
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The Bulldogs (13-2, 6-0 SEC) fell behind 2-0, but responded with four consecutive singles wins to extend their winning streak to seven matches. Following Saturday’s match that was moved indoors, UGA remains alone in first place in the SEC at the halfway point of the conference schedule.
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“Overall it was a very good weekend for us,” said head coach Manuel Diaz. “Our guys competed well today. We were a little disappointed in our start in doubles, but not our finish in singles. I thought we finished strong, so we’re happy to be heading home with two wins.”
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Kentucky (7-11, 0-5 SEC) won the doubles point to take a 1-0 lead. At No. 2, Eric Diaz and Nathan Pasha dropped a 6-4 match to Jerry Lopez and Nils Ellefsen, then William Bushamuka and Trey Yates beat Wayne Montgomery and Paul Oosterbaan, 7-5, at No. 3 to clinch the point. The match at No. 1 featuring seventh-ranked Austin Smith and Ben Wagland was early in the tiebreaker when the doubles point was clinched.
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Kentucky took a 2-0 lead in singles when No. 92 Beck Pennington beat No. 17 Wayne Montgomery 6-2, 6-1, then Georgia won four straight matches. First at No. 3, No. 15 Pasha beat Bushamuka, 6-3, 6-1, then Austin Smith tied the match with a 6-3, 7-6(6) win at No. 2 over Lopez. Nick Wood gave the Bulldogs their first lead with a 4-6, 6-4, 6-4 win over Yates at No. 4, and Wagland clinched his second match of the season at No. 5 with a 6-4, 6-4 win over Kevin Lai. Oosterbaan won the first set and was in a tiebreaker in the second set at No. 6 when Wagland clinched.
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Said Manuel Diaz: “Pennington played so well at No. 1. Everything he seemed to hit was just a little too good, but the rest of our guys came through and competed well. I’m really proud of the way we fought, and it was great to see Ben get the clinch today. Nick was down a set and won a gutsy match at No. 4, and that was the turning point for us.”
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Georgia returns to action Thursday at 2:30 p.m. ET against East Tennessee State in the final non-conference match of the season. The Bulldogs will play just one SEC match next weekend against South Carolina Sunday at 1 p.m. Admission to both matches at the Dan Magill Tennis Complex is free.
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No. 3 Georgia vs KentuckyHilary J. Boone Varsity Tennis Center – Lexington, Ky.
Saturday, March 14, 2014
[su_spacer size=”40″] Doubles: (Order of finish: 2, 3*)
1- #58 Beck Pennington/Kevin Lai (UK) led #7 Ben Wagland/Austin Smith (UGA) 6-6 (2-1) (DNF)
2- Jerry Lopez/Nils Ellefsen (UK) def. #70 Eric Diaz/Nathan Pasha (UGA) 6-4
3- WilliamBushamuka/Trey Yates (UK) def. Wayne Montgomery/Paul Oosterbaan (UGA) 7-5
[su_spacer size=”40″] Singles: (Order of finish: 1, 3, 2, 4, 5*)
1- #92 Beck Pennington (UK) def. #17 Wayne Montgomery (UGA) 6-2, 6-1
2- #30 Austin Smith (UGA) def. Jerry Lopez (UK) 6-3, 7-6 (6)
3- #15 Nathan Pasha (UGA) def. #125 William Bushamuka (UK) 6-3, 6-1
4- Nick Wood (UGA) def. Trey Yates (UK) 4-6, 6-4, 6-4
5- Ben Wagland (UGA) def. Kevin Lai (UK) 6-4, 6-4
6- Peter Oosterbaan (UGA) def. Nils Ellefsen (UK) 6-3, 6-6 (0-0) (DNF)