University of Georgia Athletics
University of Georgia
Michigan State
Georgia Tops Michigan State To Start Dual Match Season
January 23, 2015 | Men's Tennis
Highlights from Georgia's match against Michigan State in Friday's action at the Men's Tennis ITA Kickoff event being held in Athens.
Jan. 23, 2015
ATHENS, Ga. --- The eighth-ranked Georgia men's tennis team (1-0) won its 2015 opener 4-1 over Michigan State (1-3) in the ITA Kickoff. The Bulldogs lost the doubles, but won four consecutive singles matches to secure the victory.
Georgia will face Utah Sunday at 1 p.m. for a berth in the National Team Indoor Championships.
"Michigan State played a great match and really challenged us," Georgia coach Manuel Diaz said. "They played especially well in doubles. I was pleased with the quality of our doubles, but I didn't think we did as good of a job as we needed to do in the crucial points. They seemed to raise their level, and we maybe were a little bit more tentative today."
Georgia lost the doubles point after losing on courts Nos. 1 and 2. On court No. 3, Nathan Pasha and Nick Wood provided a dominant 6-2 effort over the Spartans' Harry Jadun and Jasper Koenen. Austin Smith and Eric Diaz lost 7-5 to Michael Dube and Mac Roy, setting up the deciding match on court No. 1. The No. 16 tandem of Ben Wagland and Paul Oosterbaan fell in a tiebreaker, 7-6 (7-4) to Michigan State's Brett Forman and Gijs Linders.
The Bulldogs responded quickly in singles, winning the first set on all four indoor courts. Ben Wagland notched the Bulldogs' first victory on court No. 4, defeating Roy, 6-4, 6-3. No. 11 Austin Smith quickly followed with a 6-2, 6-3 win over Brett Forman before No. 101 Nick Wood added to Georgia's singles dominance with a 6-3, 6-2 line against Harry Jadun. Sitting on a 3-1 lead, No. 15 Pasha clinched the match for the Bulldogs with a three-set victory over No. 76 Linders, 6-1, 7-6 (5), 6-2 on No. 1. Freshmen Oosterbaan and Peter Bertran won their first sets before play was suspended.
Before the Georgia-Utah match on Sunday, Michigan State will take on No. 55 Elon in the consolation match at 5 p.m. on Saturday.
Said Diaz on facing Utah: "They're a scrappy team and an extremely competitive team and we have to come out ready to play with our best."
#8 Georgia 4, #62 Michigan State 1
Singles competition
1. #15 Nathan Pasha (UGA) def. #76 Gijs Linders (MIST) 6-1, 6-7 (5-7), 6-2
2. #11 Austin Smith (UGA) def. Brett Forman (MIST) 6-2, 6-3
3. #101 Nick Wood (UGA) def. Harry Jadun (MIST) 6-3, 6-2
4. Ben Wagland (UGA) def. Mac Roy (MIST) 6-4, 6-3
5. Paul Oosterbaan (UGA) vs. Michael Dube (MIST) 6-3, 2-3, unfinished
6. Peter Bertran (UGA) vs. Jasper Koenen (MIST) 7-5, unfinished
Doubles competition
1. Brett Forman/Gijs Linders (MIST) def. #16 Paul Oosterbaan/Ben Wagland (UGA) 7-6 (7-4)
2. Michael Dube/Mac Roy (MIST) def. #34 Eric Diaz/Austin Smith (UGA) 7-5
3. Nathan Pasha/Nick Wood (UGA) def. Harry Jadun/Jasper Koenen (MIST) 6-2
Players Mentioned
