TULSA, Okla. – The Old Dominion University men’s tennis team fell in heartbreaking fashion to the Golden Eagles of Southern Miss by a score of 4-3 on Thursday at the Michael D. Case Center in Tulsa, Okla.
Thursday’s action got started with double’s play, as USM’s Vasco Valverde and Chao-Yu Huang defeated Zvonimir Podvinski and Keon Wiggemans, 8-2. However, ODU’s tandem of Carlos Lopez Villa and Abdoulaye Camara leveled the count after beating Southern Miss’ Alex Doleac and Grigory Trotsenko, 8-6. Sealing the deal on the double’s point were Jonas Kuwert and Dante Terenzio, who got the better of Paulo Alvarado and Juan Escobar 8-5, giving the Monarchs a 1-0 lead heading into single’s play.
Old Dominion’s No. 61 ranked Carlos Lopez Villa was the first to finish his single’s match, as he made quick work of the Golden Eagle’s Paulo Alvarado 6-2, 6-0, lifting the Monarchs to an early 2-0 lead. With the victory, Lopez Villa advanced his singles record to an incredible 20-1 mark on the season.
Chao-Yu Huang of Southern Miss was able to take down Old Dominion’s Jonas Kuwert 6-1, 6-4 in the No. 4 singles slot. Next, USM’s Grigory Trotsenko beat Abdoulaye Camara 6-1, 6-4 on court No. 6. Juan Escobar (USM) gave Southern Miss a 3-2 lead after defeating ODU’s Keon Wiggemans 7-6 (7-1), 6-1 in the No. 5 spot.
It was then that Zvonimir Podvinski performed brilliantly and finished off Southern Miss’ Vasco Valverde in an extremely tight three-setter (4-6, 6-1, 7-5). Podvinski has now accumulated a 14-7 overall single’s record and a 9-4 mark at No. 3 in the lineup.
Podvinski’s win turned all eyes to Court No. 2, as Dante Terenzio and USM’s Alex Doleac went back and fourth in an intense match for all of the marbles. After losing the first set, Terenzio clawed his way back to capture the tiebreaker in the second set (7-2), pushing the match into its third and final set. The match was as even as could be; however, the Golden Eagle’s Alex Doleac managed to outlast ODU’s senior left-hander in a third set tiebreaker (9-7) to lift Southern Miss over the Monarchs in a barnburner of a match.
Southern Miss 4, Old Dominion 3
Singles Competition
1. #61 Carlos Lopez Villa (ODU) def. Paulo Alvarado (USM) 6-2, 6-0
2. Alex Doleac (USM) def. Dante Terenzio (ODU) 4-6, 7-6 (7-2), 7-6 (9-7)
3. Zvonimir Podvinski (ODU) def. Vasco Valverde (USM) 4-6, 6-1, 7-5
4. Chao-Yu Huang (USM) def. Jonas Kuwert (ODU) 6-1, 6-4
5. Juan Escobar (USM) def. Keon Wiggemans (ODU) 7-6 (7-1), 6-1
6. Grigory Trotsenko (USM) def. Abdoulaye Camara (ODU) 6-1, 6-4
Doubles Competition
1. Jonas Kuwert/Dante Terenzio (ODUM) def. Paulo Alvarado/Juan Escobar (USM) 8-5
2. Vasco Valverde/Chao-Yu Huang (USM) def. Zvonimir Podvinski/Keon Wiggemans (ODUM) 8-2
3. Carlos Lopez Villa/Abdoulaye Camara (ODUM) def. Alex Doleac/Grigory Trotsenko (USM) 8-6
Match Notes:
Southern Miss: 12-10
Old Dominion: 12-9
Order of finish: Doubles (2,3,1); Singles (1,4,6,5,3,2)
Time-4:07