Duke Drops 5-2 Decision to Virginia Tech

Friday, March 25

Durham, N.C.

3:00 PM

Duke University

Virginia Tech

Duke Drops 5-2 Decision to Virginia Tech

3/25/2016 7:29:00 PM | Men's Tennis

By: Duke Sports Information

DURHAM, N.C. – The Duke men's tennis team kicked off a three match homestand Friday with a 5-2 setback to No. 45 Virginia Tech inside Ambler Tennis Stadium.

The Blue Devils (8-10, 2-4 ACC) recorded a pair of singles victories Friday, from freshman Vincent Lin on court three and senior Josh Levine on court five.

“Congratulations to Virginia Tech,” head coach Ramsey Smith said. “They're a veteran team. They stepped up in the big moments. It came down to a couple big moments at the ends of sets and matches and they were just a little bit better than us.”

In doubles, Duke took the first decision with a 6-3 victory by senior Daniel McCall and freshman Jason Lapidus against Virginia Tech's Jai Corbett and Mitch Harper. With the match even at 1-1, the Blue Devils captured three straight games to go up 4-1. Virginia Tech never got closer than two games the rest of the way as Duke closed out the victory. McCall and Lapidus pick up their first ACC win of the year and are 5-5 overall.

The Hokies (12-4, 4-2 ACC) came back to capture the last two sets, on courts one and two. On one, the No. 7 duo of Andreas Bjerrehus and Joao Monteiro defeated sophomore Nicolas Alvarez and freshman Ryan Dickerson, 6-2. Both teams held serve through the first four games, but from there the Hokies won four straight to end the contest. Alvarez and Dickerson, playing their first league match, are 3-3 overall.

Virginia Tech finished the doubles point on court two with a 7-5 triumph by Amerigo Contini and Edoardo Tessaro against freshmen Catalin Mateas and Lin. Duke took an early 2-0 advantage with a break in the opening game. Virginia Tech rallied to take four of the next five games and lead 4-3. The sides were even at 4-4 and 5-5 before the Hokies ended the match with a hold and break. Mateas and Lin fall to 6-4 overall and 1-2 against ACC foes.

After the early 1-0 hole, Lin evened the match for Duke at 1-1 with a 6-0, 2-6, 6-2 victory against Contini on court three. Lin won the first seven games of the match before Contini answered with six of the next seven games to force a deciding set. In the third set, Lin ripped off the first five games before holding off Contini for the victory. Lin owns a 19-13 overall mark and a 4-2 ledger in league play.

Seconds later the Hokies regained the advantage at 2-1 overall as Bjerrehus defeated Mateas 7-5, 6-3. In the opening set, Mateas turned a 3-3 tie into a 5-3 advantage, but Bjerrehus came right back and won four straight to capture the set. The second set had Bjerrehus hold, break and hold after a 1-1 tie to go up 4-1. Mateas never got closer than two games the rest of the way. Mateas falls to 11-7 overall and 2-4 versus ACC competition.

Virginia Tech made it a two-point advantage at 3-1 as Aaron Gomez defeated McCall 6-4, 7-5 on court six. The first set had a 1-1 tie turn into a 4-1 Gomez advantage. McCall held and broke to make it just a 4-3 deficit, but Gomez broke again to go up 5-3. McCall broke to trail 5-4, but Gomez broke a final time to end the set. In the second set, McCall jumped ahead 4-0 and led 4-2 and 5-3, but Gomez won the final four games to take the match. McCall dips to 8-9 overall and 2-1 in league play.

The Hokies clinched the match as No. 21 Monteiro downed No. 19 Alvarez 7-6 (5), 6-4 on court one. The first set was tied at every point and headed to the tiebreaker. There, neither player led by more than one point until Monteiro snapped a 5-5 draw with two points to end the set. The second set was again tied at points one through four, but Monteiro took the final two games for the victory. Alvarez is now 11-13 overall and 1-4 in the ACC.

“It was a very, very physical match,” Smith said. “Those were long, physical points. Nico played and competed really well. He had some chances in the tiebreaker. I think if he would have been able to win that first set, it would have changed the momentum, not only on his court, but everywhere else. Monteiro has had a heck of a senior year. It was physical, grind-it-out, tennis.”

The Hokies claimed their final point on court four, where No. 72 Tessaro came back for a 6-7 (2), 6-3, 6-1 victory against junior TJ Pura. The first set had Pura jump ahead 4-0 and lead 4-2 and 5-3 before Tessaro knotted the set at 5-5 and 6-6. Pura started strong in the tiebreaker with a 5-0 advantage and held off Tessaro for the set. The second set was even at points one, two and three before Tessaro ran off three straight games with the help of two breaks to win the set. Tessaro blew through the final set as Pura falls to 11-11 overall and 4-2 versus league foes.

Duke finished the match and gave it a 5-2 ending score on court five with a three-set battle that went in Levine's favor as he topped Harper 2-6, 6-4, 7-6 (7). In the opening set, Harper ran off four consecutive victories after a 1-1 tie to go up 5-1 and hold on. In the second set, Levine trailed 3-0 before taking four of the next five games to even the match at 4-4. He then won the next two games to end the set. The third set had Levine trail 3-0 again. Levine then fell behind 4-2 before evening the deciding set at 4-4. The two remained even at 5-5 and 6-6 and headed to the tiebreaker. From there, Levine trailed 4-1 and closed the gap to 5-3. With Harper on the edge of clinching, Levine came back and evened the tiebreaker at 6-6. The two were square at 7-7 before Levine captured the final two points for the triumph. Levine improves to 13-10 overall and 3-1 in ACC action.

“Josh put himself in a serious hole several times,” Smith added. “You always know Josh is going to compete his best. He certainly didn't play his best tennis, but he was very emotional. He literally found a way to win. It wasn't pretty, but it was good to see the win. He normally wins a lot of those type of matches, but this year he hasn't won quite as many tight three-set decisions. I think this is really going to help him moving forward towards the end of the ACC season.”

Duke wraps up the weekend action with a Sunday home doubleheader against Louisville and N.C. Central. First serve versus the Cardinals is at 12 noon and against the Eagles at 5 p.m.

#45 Virginia Tech 5, Duke 2
March 25, 2016 at Durham, N.C. (Ambler Tennis Stadium)

Doubles competition
1. #7 Andreas Bjerrehus/Joao Monteiro (VT) def. Nicolas Alvarez/Ryan Dickerson (DU) 6-2
2. Amerigo Contini/Edoardo Tessaro (VT) def. Catalin Mateas/Vincent Lin (DU) 7-5
3. Daniel McCall/Jason Lapidus (DU) def. Jai Corbett/Mitch Harper (VT) 6-3

Singles competition
1. #21 Joao Monteiro (VT) def. #19 Nicolas Alvarez (DU) 7-6 (7-5), 6-4
2. #74 Andreas Bjerrehus (VT) def. Catalin Mateas (DU) 7-5, 6-3
3. Vincent Lin (DU) def. Amerigo Contini (VT) 6-0, 2-6, 6-2
4. #72 Edoardo Tessaro (VT) def. TJ Pura (DU) 6-7 (2-7), 6-3, 6-1
5. Josh Levine (DU) def. Mitch Harper (VT) 2-6, 6-4, 7-6 (9-7)
6. Aaron Gomez (VT) def. Daniel McCall (DU) 6-4, 7-5

Match Notes:
Virginia Tech 12-4, 4-2 ACC; National ranking #45
Duke 8-10, 2-4 ACC
Order of finish: Doubles (3,1,2); Singles (3,2,6,1,4,5)
Official: Rebel Good
T-2:55 A-212

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