Spring Break
Bulldogs top Gators in men's tennis, 4-3
Issue date: 3/13/09 Section: Sports
The fourth-ranked Georgia Bulldog men's tennis team extended their home winning streak to 55 with a 4-3 win over eighth-ranked Florida Friday.
A spirited crowd of 517 saw the Bulldogs improve to 13-2 (2-1 SEC) while the Gators fell to 11-4 (2-1 SEC). Georgia rallied to win a thrilling doubles point that came down to a tiebreaker in the No. 1 match and then got singles victories from Nate Schnugg, Javier Garrapiz and Drake Bernstein to snap the Gators five-match winning streak.
"Florida played us extremely tough, and the doubles was as difficult as the singles," said Georgia coach Manuel Diaz. "We had the momentum after doubles and they came out and grabbed it in singles, and then we got it back. They are a great team, and I'm proud of how we competed and kept our composure. There was a time where we could've gone away and they could've won this match. However, we stayed in there and fought and got a big victory."
At No. 1 doubles, Schnugg and Jamie Hunt, ranked 12th nationally, edged Florida's 18th-ranked tandem of Antoine Benneteau and Joey Burkardt 9-8(4) to clinch the point. The Gators No. 3 team of Carlos Cueto and Alex Lacroix were first off the court after beating Josh Varela and Christian Vitulli 8-3. At that point, Hunt and Schnugg held a 6-4 edge. At No. 2, the Bulldog duo of Bernstein and Garrapiz trailed Jeff Dadamo and Johnny Hamui 5-4. Both matches stayed tight the rest of the way. Bernstein and Garrapiz posted a 9-7 win to even the match. The Gators No. 1 team served for the doubles point twice at 7-6 and 8-7, and Hunt and Schnugg responded each time. The match went to a tiebreaker at 8-all. Georgia's duo jumped out to a 5-2 lead and Schnugg was serving for it when the Gators climbed back in it with a couple of points to make it 5-4. Georgia answered with two straight points including a backhand winner by Schnugg to clinch the point.
Florida evened the overall match with a win at No. 2 singles as 34th-ranked Lacroix defeated 60th-ranked Hunt 6-0,7-6(5). The Gators took a 2-1 lead when Burkhardt outlasted Varela in the No. 4 match, winning 2-6,6-4,6-2. Then at No. 3, Garrapiz made it 2-all with a three-set win over Benneteau. After dropping the first set 6-3, Garrapiz won 12 of the next 13 games including 11 in a row for the win. Garrapiz has won a team-best 12 straight dual matches this season. He is 24-6 this season and 43-9 in his career.
Schnugg overcame an ankle sprain in the third set to outlast the 19th-ranked Cueto in the feature match at No. 1 for a 3-2 Bulldog advantage. Early in the final set, Schnugg went for a shot near the bench and tripped over his bag and went down hard on the adjacent court. After an injury timeout to get his ankle taped, he recovered to post a 6-4,5-7,6-3 victory. Schnugg is 28-8 overall including 11-1 at No. 1 this season. Meanwhile, Bernstein had won the first set over Hamui in the No. 5 contest while Dadamo led Vitulli 3-1 at No. 6.
For the second time in his career, Bernstein clinched a win for the Bulldogs as he cruised to a 6-4,6-2 victory over Hamui. He registered three aces in the final game including one on match point much to the delight of the crowd. Dadamo notched a straight set win over Vitulli for the 4-3 final.
"Sometimes you feel like you're in the zone and you don't want to come out of it, and I was serving well," said Bernstein. "Aces always help in games, and I kept going for it. Then, I started thinking about clinching the match, and that last game was one of the best games I've played in my life. I knew a lot was on the line, and it was great to get the team win."
Up next, Georgia plays host to South Carolina Sunday at 2 p.m.
#4 Georgia 4, #8 Florida 3
Doubles
1. #12 Jamie Hunt/Nate Schnugg (UGA) def. #18 Antoine Benneteau/Joey Burkhardt (UF) 9-8 (7-4)
2. Drake Bernstein/Javier Garrapiz (UGA) def. #61 Jeff Dadamo/Jon Hamui (UF) 9-7
3. #80 Carlos Cueto/Alex Lacroix (UF) def. Josh Varela/Christian Vitulli (UGA) 8-3
Singles
1. #7 Nate Schnugg (UGA) def. #19 Carlos Cueto (UF) 6-4, 5-7, 6-3
2. #34 Alex Lacroix (UF) def. #60 Jamie Hunt (UGA) 6-0, 7-6 (7-5)
3. #84 Javier Garrapiz (UGA) def. Antoine Benneteau (UF) 3-6, 6-0, 6-1
4. Joey Burkhardt (UF) def. Josh Varela (UGA) 2-6, 6-4, 6-2
5. Drake Bernstein (UGA) def. Jon Hamui (UF) 6-4, 6-2
6. Jeff Dadamo (UF) def. Christian Vitulli (UGA) 6-3, 6-2
Match Notes:
Georgia 13-2 (2-1 SEC); National ranking #4; Florida 11-4 (2-1 SEC); National ranking #8
Order of finish: Doubles (3,2,1); Singles (2,4,3,1,5,6)
Match moved indoors due to weather.
Official: Walt Williams T-4:41 A-517
- Georgia Sports Communications
A spirited crowd of 517 saw the Bulldogs improve to 13-2 (2-1 SEC) while the Gators fell to 11-4 (2-1 SEC). Georgia rallied to win a thrilling doubles point that came down to a tiebreaker in the No. 1 match and then got singles victories from Nate Schnugg, Javier Garrapiz and Drake Bernstein to snap the Gators five-match winning streak.
"Florida played us extremely tough, and the doubles was as difficult as the singles," said Georgia coach Manuel Diaz. "We had the momentum after doubles and they came out and grabbed it in singles, and then we got it back. They are a great team, and I'm proud of how we competed and kept our composure. There was a time where we could've gone away and they could've won this match. However, we stayed in there and fought and got a big victory."
At No. 1 doubles, Schnugg and Jamie Hunt, ranked 12th nationally, edged Florida's 18th-ranked tandem of Antoine Benneteau and Joey Burkardt 9-8(4) to clinch the point. The Gators No. 3 team of Carlos Cueto and Alex Lacroix were first off the court after beating Josh Varela and Christian Vitulli 8-3. At that point, Hunt and Schnugg held a 6-4 edge. At No. 2, the Bulldog duo of Bernstein and Garrapiz trailed Jeff Dadamo and Johnny Hamui 5-4. Both matches stayed tight the rest of the way. Bernstein and Garrapiz posted a 9-7 win to even the match. The Gators No. 1 team served for the doubles point twice at 7-6 and 8-7, and Hunt and Schnugg responded each time. The match went to a tiebreaker at 8-all. Georgia's duo jumped out to a 5-2 lead and Schnugg was serving for it when the Gators climbed back in it with a couple of points to make it 5-4. Georgia answered with two straight points including a backhand winner by Schnugg to clinch the point.
Florida evened the overall match with a win at No. 2 singles as 34th-ranked Lacroix defeated 60th-ranked Hunt 6-0,7-6(5). The Gators took a 2-1 lead when Burkhardt outlasted Varela in the No. 4 match, winning 2-6,6-4,6-2. Then at No. 3, Garrapiz made it 2-all with a three-set win over Benneteau. After dropping the first set 6-3, Garrapiz won 12 of the next 13 games including 11 in a row for the win. Garrapiz has won a team-best 12 straight dual matches this season. He is 24-6 this season and 43-9 in his career.
Schnugg overcame an ankle sprain in the third set to outlast the 19th-ranked Cueto in the feature match at No. 1 for a 3-2 Bulldog advantage. Early in the final set, Schnugg went for a shot near the bench and tripped over his bag and went down hard on the adjacent court. After an injury timeout to get his ankle taped, he recovered to post a 6-4,5-7,6-3 victory. Schnugg is 28-8 overall including 11-1 at No. 1 this season. Meanwhile, Bernstein had won the first set over Hamui in the No. 5 contest while Dadamo led Vitulli 3-1 at No. 6.
For the second time in his career, Bernstein clinched a win for the Bulldogs as he cruised to a 6-4,6-2 victory over Hamui. He registered three aces in the final game including one on match point much to the delight of the crowd. Dadamo notched a straight set win over Vitulli for the 4-3 final.
"Sometimes you feel like you're in the zone and you don't want to come out of it, and I was serving well," said Bernstein. "Aces always help in games, and I kept going for it. Then, I started thinking about clinching the match, and that last game was one of the best games I've played in my life. I knew a lot was on the line, and it was great to get the team win."
Up next, Georgia plays host to South Carolina Sunday at 2 p.m.
#4 Georgia 4, #8 Florida 3
Doubles
1. #12 Jamie Hunt/Nate Schnugg (UGA) def. #18 Antoine Benneteau/Joey Burkhardt (UF) 9-8 (7-4)
2. Drake Bernstein/Javier Garrapiz (UGA) def. #61 Jeff Dadamo/Jon Hamui (UF) 9-7
3. #80 Carlos Cueto/Alex Lacroix (UF) def. Josh Varela/Christian Vitulli (UGA) 8-3
Singles
1. #7 Nate Schnugg (UGA) def. #19 Carlos Cueto (UF) 6-4, 5-7, 6-3
2. #34 Alex Lacroix (UF) def. #60 Jamie Hunt (UGA) 6-0, 7-6 (7-5)
3. #84 Javier Garrapiz (UGA) def. Antoine Benneteau (UF) 3-6, 6-0, 6-1
4. Joey Burkhardt (UF) def. Josh Varela (UGA) 2-6, 6-4, 6-2
5. Drake Bernstein (UGA) def. Jon Hamui (UF) 6-4, 6-2
6. Jeff Dadamo (UF) def. Christian Vitulli (UGA) 6-3, 6-2
Match Notes:
Georgia 13-2 (2-1 SEC); National ranking #4; Florida 11-4 (2-1 SEC); National ranking #8
Order of finish: Doubles (3,2,1); Singles (2,4,3,1,5,6)
Match moved indoors due to weather.
Official: Walt Williams T-4:41 A-517
- Georgia Sports Communications
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