DALLAS – Texas A&M-Corpus Christi men's tennis got back on the winning track in a 4-3 nailbiter against George Washington at SMU.
The Islanders (9-4) picked up the victory despite going off the script from their previous seven wins this season.
COLONIALS JUMP OUT EARLY
George Washington took the doubles point as the Islanders lineup saw a few changes with Paul Cook out of the lineup.
At the top of the order, the Kevin Bettendroffer and Arthur Bedel duo remained intact and left their match unfinished as the Colonials took the point. Bettendroffer and Bedel were locked in a 6-6 duel but were leading the tiebreak set 5-1 when the doubles point was clinched.
George Washington took victories on courts two and three over a revamped Islander order as Paul Cook's absence left a hole in the lineup. Mitchell Cook joined Guillaume Rauseo at No. 2, but the pairing struggle to find their footing falling 6-1.
The Colonials clinched the point with a win on No. 3 as Ricardo Mayagoitia and Javier Pujol dropped a hard-fought 7-6 match.
ISLANDERS RALLY IN SINGLES
Down 1-0, the Islanders had to take the tough route to victory. The Blue and Green started the rally thanks to a pair of two-set victories from Rauseo and freshman Carlos Pedrosa Ceuvas.
Rauseo won his match over Christos Hadjigeorgiou in 6-1, 7-5 fashion. The win helped Rauseo climb back to .500 in singles play this season at 6-6. Pedrosa Cuevas took down Chris Reynolds with a 6-1, 6-4 score. Playing in his second consecutive match, Pedrosa Cuevas improved to 4-1 on the season.
After Pujol fell at No. 3 in a 2-6, 6-7 setback for the Islander, the match came down to the final three singles matches which all went the distance. With the match level at 2-2, the Islanders won two of the final three to clinch the win.
At the top spot, Bettendroffer bookended his match with set victories to earn the point. The senior won 6-2, 3-6, 6-4 to improve to 9-1 on the year and pick up his sixth consecutive singles win.
At No. 2, Mayagoitia also earned a grueling three-set victory to give the Islanders four points. Like Bettendroffer, Mayagoitia picked up his sixth victory in a row, rallying from a first set setback to win 1-6, 6-2, 6-2.
WHAT MOORE SAID
On what this match meant…
"Our team needed this type of match to get us back on the right track. It was an ugly, hot and windy slugfest, where it was all about fitness and competing. This match was an absolute battle that came down to our guys' legs and fitness."
On the team's continued growth…
"We told them the first part of the season, the indoor nice part of the season is over. Now the second part begins which is hot and windy outdoors. We are excited about the next two months. This team is working very hard and has improved a lot on some key elements and that showed today."
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Tennis Match Results
George Washington vs. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi
2/28/2016 at Dallas, Texas
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi 4, George Washington 3
Singles competition:
1. Kevin Bettendroffer (AMCC) def. Julius Tverijonas (GW) 6-2, 3-6, 6-4
2. Ricardo Mayagoitia (AMCC) def. Chris Fletcher (GW) 1-6, 6-2, 6-2
3. Danil Zelenkov (GW) def. Javier Pujol (AMCC) 6-2, 7-6
4. Guillaume Rauseo (AMCC) def. C. Hadjigeorgiou (GW) 6-1, 7-5
5. Carlos Pedrosa (AMCC) def. Chris Reynolds (GW) 6-1, 6-4
6. Cahit Kapukiran (GW) def. Arthur Bedel (AMCC) 6-7, 6-2, 7-5
Doubles competition:
1. Kevin Bettendroffer/Arthur Bedel (AMCC) vs. Julius Tverijonas/Danil Zelenkov (GW) 6-6, unfinished
2. Chris Fletcher/Fernando Sala (GW) def. Guillaume Rauseo/Mitchell Cook (AMCC) 6-1
3. Chris Reynolds/Cahit Kapukiran (GW) def. Ricardo Mayagoitia/Javier Pujol (AMCC) 7-6
Match Notes:
George Washington 3-5
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi 9-4
