NORFOLK, Va. – The 62nd-ranked Old Dominion men's tennis team held off a late run by the UTSA Roadrunners to take a 4-2 Conference USA decision on a blustery Friday afternoon at the Folkes-Stevens Tennis Center.
In doubles, the Monarchs claimed the team point with victories at the number three and one spots. ODU (12-6, 2-1) got the first win by Francois Le Tallec and Oliver Tobisch at number three with a 6-3 victory over Maxim Grosman and Garrett Skelly. The team point was clinched at the top with Younes Lalami and Yevhen Sirous taking a 6-2 win over Joao Ceolin and Javier Gonzalez.
Singles saw ODU jump out to a 3-0 lead after a pair of straight set wins. Tobisch got the first point at number six with a 7-5, 6-0 win, while Codie van Schalkwyk scored a 6-2, 6-4 win at number four. UTSA responded with a pair of wins at number two and three to trim the lead to 3-2.
With the last two matches heading towards three sets each, Le Tallec rebounded from dropping the opening set in a tie-breaker to clinch the win for ODU with a 6-7 (4-7), 6-2, 6-3 win over Ceolin at number one. Nolan had jumped out to a 3-0 lead at number five singles when the match was clinched.
ODU now returns to action on Sunday morning with an 11 a.m. start against Charlotte at home.
ODU HEAD COACH DOMINIK MUELLER ON THE UTSA WIN
Conference wins are always tough to come by and today wasn't any different. UTSA pushed us after doubles and we needed a comeback win. We got that and were on track to get a second when we clinched. I am so proud of how we kept battling and turned this around today.
ODU 4, UTSA 2
DOUBLES – order 3,1
Younes Lalami/Yevhen Sirous (ODU) def. Joao Ceolin/Javier Gonzalez 6-2
Oliver Nolan/Codie van Schalkwyk (ODU) lead Tiago Torres/Sebastian Rodriguez 5-3, unfinished
Francois Le Tallec/Oliver Tobisch (ODU) def. Maxim Groysman/Garrett Skelly 6-3
SINGLES – order 6,4,2,3,1
Francois Le Tallec (ODU) def. Joao Ceolin 6-7 (4-7), 6-2, 6-3
Tiago Torres (UTSA) def. Younes Lalami 6-4, 6-4
Sebastian Rodriguez (UTSA) def. Yevhen Sirous 6-2, 7-6
Codie van Schalkwyk (ODU) def. Danijal Muminovic 6-2, 6-4
Oliver Nolan (ODU) lead Javier Gonzalez 6-7 (6-8), 6-4, 3-0 unfinished
Oliver Tobisch (ODU) def. Maxim Groysman 7-5, 6-0
No. 62 Men's Tennis Starts Weekend With 4-2 Win Over UTSA
