University of Georgia Athletics
University of Georgia
Tennessee
Georgia Downs UT For Seventh-Straight Win
March 25, 2016 | Men's Tennis
Coach Diaz, Austin Smith and Emil Reinberg talk about the win over over the Tennessee Vols to make it seven straight wins for Georgia.
March 25, 2016
ATHENS, Ga.--The 11th-ranked Georgia men's tennis team extended its win streak to seven in a row with a 5-2 victory against Tennessee on Friday night at the Dan Magill Tennis Complex.
With the win, the Bulldogs improve to 11-3 overall and are atop the SEC standings with a perfect 5-0 record. The Volunteers fall to 6-10, 0-6 in league action.
"We are becoming a more confident team, and I think we are becoming a more mature team now," head coach Manuel Diaz said. "Having said that, you are only as good as your next match. We play a very, very good Kentucky team on Sunday. They have been playing some outstanding tennis, so it will be a huge match for us and hopefully we can play our best on Sunday."
Georgia quickly took the doubles point as the No. 2 and 3 courts picked up victories. The Bulldogs' 58th-ranked tandem of Paul Oosterbaan and Jan Zielinski rolled to their fifth-straight victory of the season with a 6-2 triumph over UT's Jack Heslin and Preston Touliatos at the second position.
UGA's Wayne Montgomery and Emil Reinberg made it six-straight wins this season for the sophomore/freshman duo with a 6-4 victory over Tennessee's tandem of Srdjan Jakovlejevic and Timo Stodder.
Georgia's strong play extended over into singles, starting with the No. 1 court, where Smith defeated UT's Igor Smelyanski, 6-2, 6-0, to put the Bulldogs up 2-0. Just minutes later, Georgia freshman Walker Duncan put the match at 3-0 in the Bulldogs' favor with a 6-1, 6-3 victory over UT's Jakovljevic.
Reinberg then delivered his third match-clincher of the season with a 6-1, 6-3 win at the No. 6 court.
"Playing for Georgia is an absolute privilege, so to deliver the match-clincher was a big deal," Reinberg said. "I really just stuck to my game the whole match and that's what got me though. I am proud of my team and the way we played today."
Zielinski, Oosterbaan and Montomgery rounded out Georgia's scoring effort as Zielinski took a 6-3, 6-4 victory, while Oosterbaan lost, 6-4, 7-6 (7-1) at the third court. Montgomery fell in a shortened, 1-6, 6-4, 1-0 (10-3) match at the No. 2 position.
Georgia is back in action on Sunday at 1 p.m. ET against No. 18 Kentucky at the Dan Magill Tennis Complex.
Tennis Match Results
Tennessee vs Georgia
March 25, 2016 at Athens, Ga.
(Dan Magill Tennis Complex)
#11 Georgia 5, Tennessee 2
Singles Results
1. #35 Austin Smith (UGA) def. Igor Smelyanski (UT-M) 6-2, 6-0
2. Luis Valero (UT-M) def. #34 Wayne Montgomery (UGA) 1-6, 6-4, 1-0 (10-3)
3. Timo Stodder (UT-M) def. Paul Oosterbaan (UGA) 6-4, 7-6 (7-1)
4. #120 Walker Duncan (UGA) def. Srdjan Jakovljevic (UT-M) 6-1, 6-4
5. Jan Zielinski (UGA) def. Jack Schipanski (UT-M) 6-3, 6-4
6. Emil Reinberg (UGA) def. Jack Heslin (UT-M) 6-1, 6-3
Doubles Results
1. #5 Austin Smith/Ben Wagland (UGA) vs. #20 Jack Schipanski/Luis Valero (UT-M) 4-3, unfinished
2. #58 Paul Oosterbaan/Jan Zielinski (UGA) def. Jack Heslin/Preston Touliatos (UT-M) 6-2
3. Wayne Montgomery/Emil Reinberg (UGA) def. Srdjan Jakovljevic/Timo Stodder (UT-M) 6-4
Match Notes:
Tennessee 6-10
Georgia 11-3; National ranking #11
Order of finish: Doubles (2,3); Singles (1,4,6,2,5,3)
Official: Clark Weaver Time-2:21 Attendance-658
Players Mentioned
