AUSTIN, Texas – The No. 56 ranked Texas A&M - Corpus Christi men's tennis team battled a strong No. 26 ranked California team today but in the end came up short, 4-0, in the opening round of the NCAA Championships. After several rain delays at the Caswell Tennis Center during singles play, the match was moved indoors to the Weller Indoor Tennis Center.
"The Islanders' amazing season came to an end today against a very good Cal team," Director of Tennis Steve Moore said. "Every great season has to come to an end at some point and today Cal and Coach Peter Wright deserve to be congratulated for a great match. I am so proud of our guys for this great season where they reached No. 40 in the NCAA DI rankings and earned a No. 3 seed at the NCAA Championships. That took tremendous grit, toughness and consistency from this special, high character group."
The Islanders (19-7) dropped a very close doubles point on courts two and three. The duo of Ricardo Mayagoitia and Paul Cook fell 8-5 to Filip Bergevi and Mads Engsted at No. 3 doubles before the Islanders' pair of Kevin Bettendroffer and Guillaume Rauseo dropped an 8-6 loss to Andre Goransson and Oskar Wikberg at No. 2 doubles. At No.1 doubles, the freshman-senior duo of Arthur Bedel and Peter Nagy were leading the No. 51 ranked duo of Gregory Bayane and Chase Melton, 7-6, when play was stopped.
The Islanders and Bears (19-8) started singles play but in the middle of the first set a steady rainfall forced the match to be moved indoors to the Weller Indoor Tennis Center. From there, Cal secured three straight-set singles matches to clinch the match.
At No. 3 singles, Mayagoitia fell to Bayane 6-2, 6-0, before No. 99 ranked Nagy came up short to No. 29 Andre Goransson, 6-3, 6-2, at No. 1 singles. It marked just Nagy's fourth loss of the season at No. 1. The Bears then clinched the match at No. 6 singles with a straight-set win. Cal's Billy Griffith topped Cook, 6-2, 6-1.
In the final three singles matches, junior Javier Pujol was leading 5-3 in the second set over J.T. Nishimura after dropping the first set, 6-1, at No. 5 singles. Bettendroffer was trailing Bergevi, 3-2 in the second set after coming up short, 7-6 (4) in the first set in the No. 2 slot. In the final singles match, Rauseo was trailing 5-2 in the second set to Wikberg after dropping the first set, 6-0, at No. 4 singles.
"It is hard to say goodbye to senior Peter Nagy, who has worked as hard as any player I have ever coached, and truly defined what full commitment is all about," Moore said. "We have been so blessed to have Coach Goncalo Figueiredo with us for nine years. He poured his heart and soul into this team for every day of those nine years. Peter, Goncalo and our athletic trainer, Greg Peckels epitomize what the Islanders family is all about."
Nagy will continue his Islanders' career at the NCAA Singles Championships for the second time in his career. The native of Budapest, Hungary is just one career win shy of matching Associate Head Coach Goncalo Figueiredo's program-best 67 wins. More details of the NCAA Singles Championships will be announced after the team championships.
"We are also grateful and humbled for the fan support we had today who came to Austin to lift up the Islanders," Moore added. "There is no tennis team and group of supporters in the country I would rather have than this Islanders Tennis family regardless of the result."
For all the latest on Islanders Tennis, like the team on Facebook (IslandersTennis) and follow them on Twitter and Instagram (@IslandersTennis). Fans can also receive updates on both teams by downloading the Islanders Front Row App at GoIslanders.com/frontrow.
Tennis Match Results
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi vs. California
05/08/15 at Austin, Texas
#26 California 4, #56 Texas A&M-Corpus Christi 0
Singles competition
1. #29 Andre Goransson (CAL) def. #99 Peter Nagy (TAMUCC) 6-3, 6-2
2. #97 Filip Bergevi (CAL) vs. Kevin Bettendroffer (TAMUCC) 7-6 (7-4), 3-2, unfinished
3. Gregory Bayane (CAL) def. Ricardo Mayagoitia (TAMUCC) 6-2, 6-0
4. Oskar Wikberg (CAL) vs. Guillaume Rauseo (TAMUCC) 6-0, 5-2, unfinished
5. J.T. Nishimura (CAL) vs. Javier Pujol (TAMUCC) 6-1, 3-5, unfinished
6. Billy Griffith (CAL) def. Paul Cook (TAMUCC) 6-2, 6-1
Doubles competition
1. #51 Gregory Bayane/Chase Melton (CAL) vs. Peter Nagy/Arthur Bedel (TAMUCC) 6-7, unfinished
2. Andre Goransson/Oskar Wikberg (CAL) def. Kevin Bettendroffer/Guillaume Rauseo (TAMUCC) 8-6
3. Filip Bergevi/Mads Engsted (CAL) def. Ricardo Mayagoitia/Paul Cook (TAMUCC) 8-5
Match Notes:
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi 19-6; National ranking #56
California 18-8; National ranking #26
Order of finish: Doubles (3,2); Singles (3,1,6)
NCAA Championship First Round
Rain Delay - 11:34am-12:15pm CT
Rain Delay - 12:25pm-2:28 pm CT
Started outdoors at Caswell Tennis Center, moved indoors to Weller Tennis Center
