The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
Georgia
No. 2 Georgia edges No. 7 Men's Tennis, 4-2
02.17.2008 | Men's Tennis
SEATTLE -- No. 7 Texas (7-1) picked up singles wins from senior Milan Mihailovic and freshman Kellen Damico, but No. 2 Georgia outlasted the Longhorns by a 4-2 count Saturday in the quarterfinals of the ITA National Team Indoor Championship. Texas will compete in Sunday's consolation round against sixth-ranked Southern California at 4:30 p.m.
"We're disappointed with the loss, but this team fought hard throughout singles and doubles," said UT coach Michael Center. "We had our chances, but Georgia won the tiebreakers and many of the key points. I'm proud of these guys, and we'll come out fighting again tomorrow."
Georgia and Texas engaged in a doubles session spanning over an hour that went in favor of the Bulldogs. UT sophomores Dimitar Kutrovsky and Josh Zavala scored an 8-3 win at the third slot over Christian Vitulli and Javier Garrapiz, but Georgia closed with victories at the first and second positions to earn the doubles point.
Mihailovic put Texas on the board with a 6-2, 7-5 win at sixth singles over Josh Varela, but Georgia regained the lead at third singles when Jamie Hunt defeated UT freshman Ed Corrie, 6-3, 7-6. Zavala trailed a set and 5-2 in the second set to Vitulli only to rally and take a 6-5 lead before Vitulli forced a second-set tiebreak. Vitulli captured the tiebreak, 7-3 to push the Bulldogs' lead to 3-1.
Damico engaged in a lengthy, three-set battle at second singles against Nate Schnugg, with whom he won the boys' doubles titles at the 2006 Wimbledon Championships. Damico tallied a 7-5, 4-6, 6-3 win, but Georgia's Travis Helgeson clinched the match at first singles, defeating Kutrovsky by a 6-4, 7-6 (5) count.
ITA National Team Indoor Championship - Quarterfinal
No. 2 Georgia 4, No. 7 Texas 2
Doubles - Order of Finish: 3, 1, 2
1. Hunt/Schnugg (UGA) def. Corrie/Damico (UT) - 8-5
2. Helgeson/Varela (UGA) def. Chodkiewicz/Diaz Barriga (UT) - 8-6
3. Kutrovsky/Zavala (UT) def. Vitulli/Garrapiz (UGA) - 8-3
Singles - Order of Finish: 6, 3, 5, 2, 1
1. Travis Helgeson (UGA) def. Dimitar Kutrovsky (UT) - 6-4, 7-6 (5)
2. Kellen Damico (UT) def. Nate Schnugg (UGA) - 7-5, 4-6, 6-3
3. Jamie Hunt (UGA) def. Ed Corrie (UT) - 6-3, 7-6
4. Luis Diaz Barriga (UT) vs. Javier Garrapiz (UGA) - 6-3, 6-7, susp.
5. Christian Vitulli (UGA) def. Josh Zavala (UT) - 6-3, 7-6 (3)
6. Milan Mihailovic (UT) def. Josh Varela (UGA) - 6-2, 7-5
