Spiders Drop Season Opener At VCU

Thursday, January 24

Richmond, VA

2PM

University of Richmond

VCU

01/24/2019 | Men's Tennis

RICHMOND, Va. – The University of Richmond men's tennis team came within a point of claiming the doubles point but fell short in the season opener at VCU, 7-0, Thursday at Thalhimer Tennis Center.

"I think this match was a great test of where we are as a team right now," head coach Houston Barrick said. "The doubles point was about as close as you can get. I feel like if we could've gotten that doubles point it might've swung the momentum of the match in a different way. Even after losing the doubles point, we were up in two matches right away. Unfortunately, we weren't able to capitalize on those opportunities and when you play a great team like VCU, you have to take advantage of every opportunity you get."

The Spiders came out with a spirited doubles match. VCU took a 1-0 lead after winning a tiebreaker 7-6 (3) at No. 3 doubles.

VCU's Rayane Stable and Javier Amantegui earned a 6-4 win at No. 1 doubles against freshman Josh Keitelman (Chevy Chase, Md.) and junior Matt Fernandez (Richmond, Va.). Freshman John Walsh (Bryn Mawr, Pa.) and junior George Lovitt (Marvin, N.C.) took down VCU's Arvid Noren and Inigo Torre Martin, 6-4, at No. 2 doubles.

In the deciding match, junior Klein Evans (Raleigh, N.C.) and sophomore Joe Nardini (Arlington, Va.) held a 5-3 lead but the Rams stormed back as Phillip Mobius and Inaki Rivero Crespo forced a tiebreaker at 6-6. In the seven-point tiebreaker, Rivero Crespo and Mobius won the doubles point, 7-3.

Richmond tried to battle back in singles but the defending Atlantic 10 champions wouldn't let a comeback happen. Stefan Petrovic earned a 6-2, 6-1 win at No. 1 singles against Brice Polender (Lake Bluff, Ill.).

VCU's Noren gave the Rams a 3-0 lead after a straight-sets win against Evans, 6-2, 6-1, at No. 3 singles. The Rams clinched the match after Torre Martin defeated Walsh, 7-5, 6-1, at No. 4 singles.

UR's Fernandez won the first set 6-4 but lost the second set 3-6 and a third set super tiebreaker, 10-5, against Stable at No. 2 singles.

In the final two matches, VCU won at No. 5 singles 6-1, 6-2 and at No. 6 singles 6-2, 6-4.

Richmond will head out on the road and face Hampton on Sunday, Jan. 27, at 5 p.m.

For more information about the Richmond men's tennis team visit RichmondSpiders.com or follow us on twitter at spidermten.

VCU 6 Richmond 0
Doubles
No. 1- Rayane Stable/Javier Amantegui (VCU) vs. Josh Keitelman/Matt Fernandez  6-4
No. 2- George Lovitt/John Walsh def. Arvid Noren/Inigo Torre Martin (VCU) 6-4
No. 3 - Philip Mobius/Inaki Rivero Crespo (VCU) def. Joe Nardini/Klein Evans  7-6 (3)
Order of finish: 1, 2, 3

Singles
No. 1- Stefan Petrovic (VCU) def. Brice Polender,  6-2, 6-1
No. 2- Rayane Stable (VCU) def. Matt Fernandez,  4-6, 6-3, 10-5
No. 3- Arvid Noren (VCU) def. Klein Evans, 6-2, 6-1
No. 4- Inigo Torre Martin (VCU) def. John Walsh,  7-5, 6-1
No. 5- Javier Amantegui (VCU) def. Joe Nardini,  6-1, 6-2
No. 6- Inaki Rivero Crespo (VCU) vs. George Lovitt,  6-2, 6-4
Order of finish: 1, 3, 4, 2, 5, 6

-UR-