The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
Søren Hess-Olesen vs. Shane Vinsant (Texas A&M)
Men’s Tennis represented in quarterfinals of NCAA Championships for second consecutive year
05.23.2014 | Men's Tennis
For the first time, Texas has a stake in the quarterfinal round of the NCAA Singles & Doubles Championships in two consecutive years.
• NCAA Individual Championships Results
• Hess-Olesen season results
• Glasspool season results
ATHENS, Ga. -- For the first time in program history, Texas Men's Tennis advanced to the quarterfinal round of the NCAA Singles and Doubles Championships in consecutive years with wins in each draw on Friday at Dan Magill Tennis Complex.
Junior No. 16 Søren Hess-Olesen became just the second Longhorn to reach the quarterfinal round of the NCAA Singles Championship two years in a row after defeating Texas A&M's 22nd-ranked Shane Vinsant in three sets (5-7, 7-6(3), 6-3). Kevin Curren was the last Longhorn to make consecutive quarterfinal appearances in 1978 and 1979.
Last season's NCAA Doubles Championship finalists from UT, Chris Camillone and David Holiner, are followed by the 16th-ranked team of Hess-Olesen and junior Lloyd Glasspool, who advanced past the round of 16 with a victory over Denver's Henry Craig and Alex Gasson (4-6, 6-3, 6-3) on Friday.
Hess-Olesen joins Jonny Levine (1984) and Kevin Curren (1978) as the only three Longhorns to advance to the quarterfinal round of both the NCAA Singles and Doubles Championships in the same year.
"This tournament is very long and difficult, so you have to have the right mental approach to be successful," head coach Michael Center said. "Last year it was more of a surprise to advance. This year, Søren and Lloyd really expected to be in the tournament at this point. The common thread is that they have had great attitudes, play hard and compete with everything they have."
ITA ALL-AMERICA HONORS
By advancing to the NCAA Doubles Championship quarterfinal round, Glasspool qualifies for ITA All-America honors for the first time in his career. Hess-Olesen earned ITA All-America honors for the second consecutive year as a top-16 seed in the NCAA Singles Championship.
"It means a lot to be an All-American at Texas -- your name goes on the wall with the best players ever to play," Center said. "It's something you can hang your hat on for the rest of your life. I think it's a fantastic honor for Lloyd and Søren. They both have made tremendous strides since their freshman year."
SINGLES WRAP
Hess-Olesen met Texas A&M's Shane Vinsant for the second time of the season in the singles round of 16 on Friday. Back in October, Vinsant won a straight set (6-4, 6-4) decision in the quarterfinals of the USTA/ITA Texas Regional Championships in Waco, Texas.
In 90-degree sunny weather, the match started with nearly an hour-and-a-half first set, which eventually went to Vinsant after he recorded the match's first break point to take a 6-5 lead. Vinsant then served out for the 7-5 first-set victory.
In the second set, Hess-Olesen was able to recover from down 3-1, LOVE-40, and hold serve to stay within reaching distance, 3-2. He later came up with a key service break to tie the set, 4-4. Both players held serve until reaching a tiebreaker at 6-all. Hess-Olesen took a quick 4-1 advantage before clinching the set, 7-6, with a 7-3 win in the tiebreaker.
Tied 3-3 in the third set, Hess-Olesen came up with two late service breaks en route to winning the last three games to clinch the set and the match, 6-3.
"I tried to be more aggressive and mix it up more to get him out of his rhythm," the two-time All-American said. "Obviously it worked and he got really tired in the third set and I was able to pull out the win."
In the NCAA Singles Championship quarterfinal, Hess-Olesen will face UCLA's 35th-ranked Mackenzie McDonald on Saturday at 11 a.m. Central.
"This is a real physical test to win this tournament," Center said. "But Søren is as strong as anyone in the field at this point."
DOUBLES WRAP
After a 3-hour singles match, Hess-Olesen returned to the court with doubles partner Lloyd Glasspool for the round of 16. Denver's Craig and Gasson, who pulled an upset against Texas A&M's 6th-ranked doubles team in the opening round, started with a 3-1 lead and won the first set, 6-4.
Glasspool and Hess-Olesen countered with early breaks in the next two sets, taking leads of 3-1 in the second and 3-0 in the third. The Texas duo clinched the match with identical 6-3 decisions in both the second and third sets.
In the NCAA Doubles Championship quarterfinal, Glasspool and Hess-Olesen will face Ohio State's third-ranked duo of Peter Kobelt and Kevin Metka on Saturday at 4:30 p.m. Central. The teams previously met on Feb. 15 during the dual match season, with Kobelt and Metka winning 6-2 at the ITA National Men's Team Indoor Championship in Houston.
RESULTS
NCAA Men's Tennis Championships
Singles Round of 16
#16 Søren Hess-Olesen (Texas) def. #22 Shane Vinsant (Texas A&M) 5-7, 7-6(3), 6-3
Doubles Round of 16
#16 Lloyd Glasspool/Søren Hess-Olesen (Texas) def. #67 Henry Craig/Alex Gasson (Denver) 4-6, 6-3, 6-3
All-Americans under Head Coach Michael Center
Rodrigo Echagaray - 2002
Jean Simon - 2002
Jose Zarhi - 2002
Travis Helgeson - 2005, 2006
Callum Beale - 2006
Miguel Reyes Varela - 2006
Ed Corrie - 2008, 2011
Kellen Damico - 2008
Dimitar Kutrovsky - 2008, 2009, 2010
Josh Zavala - 2010
Jean Andersen - 2011
Chris Camillone - 2013
David Holiner - 2013
Søren Hess-Olesen - 2013, 2014
Lloyd Glasspool - 2014
