Pepperdine University
Kentucky
#12 Waves Fall to #7 Kentucky on the Road
2/5/2012 12:00:00 AM | Men's Tennis
Feb. 5, 2012
LEXINGTON, Ky. - Despite winning the doubles point in dramatic fashion, the #12-ranked Pepperdine men's tennis team was unable to put the dual away in singles and fell to #7 Kentucky, 4-2. The Waves fall to 3-2 on the season, while the Wildcats finished Sunday's action with an 8-0 record - their best start in over 25 seasons.
In doubles action, Kentucky put a match in the books first with a win on court one. Faced with having to win both remaining matches to earn the doubles point, the Pepperdine pair of David Sofaer (Bellevue Hill, Australia/Sydney Distance Education HS) and Hugh Clarke (Brisbane, Australia/Brisbane Boys' College) gritted out a 9-7 victory over Anthony Rossi and Ryuji Hirooka to level the score.
On court two, Sebastian Fanselow (Essen, Germany/Kaplan College Prep) and Jenson Turner (Woodland Hills, Calif./Campbell Hall HS) were deadlocked with Alex Musialek and Alejandro Gomez. At 8-all, the opposing pairs battled in tiebreaker to determine the match, which the Waves emerged from victorious.
The Wildcats answered in singles, winning four of the six matches to clinch the dual. Finn Tearney (Wellington, New Zealand/Wellington College), ranked #35 in the Campbell's/ITA Collegiate Rankings, tangled with #5-ranked Eric Quigley. Quigley, who has yet to lose in dual play this year, won 6-3, 6-4 to even the team score 1-1.
Mousheg Hovhannisyan (North Hollywood, Calif./Continental HS) lost 6-4, 7-5 on court three to #36 Anthony Rossi, 6-4, 7-5, but Alex Llompart (Carolina, Puerto Rico/San Juan Educational School) tied the team score at 2-all with a 6-4, 7-6 triumph over #85 Panav Jha.
With three matches left in the balance, Kentucky regained the lead after #13 Musialek edged #21 Fanselow in three sets. Moments later, #111-ranked Gomez clinched the fourth point with a 6-1, 6-1 triumph over Sofaer.
The remaining match between Thom Jomby and Clarke was not completed.
There's no break in the schedule for the Waves, as the team hosts defending NCAA Champion and #1-ranked USC on Friday, Jan. 10. First serve at the Ralphs-Straus Tennis Center is slated for 1 p.m.
#7 Kentucky 4, #12 Pepperdine 2
Singles
1. #5 Eric Quigley (UK) def. #35 Finn Tearney (PEP) 6-4, 6-3
2. #13 Alex Musialek (UK) def. #21 Sebastian Fanselow (PEP) 6-4, 3-6, 6-4
3. #36 Anthony Rossi (UK) def. #49 Mousheg Hovhannisyan (PEP) 6-4, 7-5
4. Alex Llompart (PEP) def. #85 Panav Jha (UK) 6-4, 7-6 (8-6)
5. #95 Thom Jomby (UK) vs. #106 Hugh Clarke (PEP) 6-3, 5-6, unfinished
6. #111 Alejandro Gomez (UK) def. David Sofaer (PEP) 6-1, 6-1
Doubles
1. Eric Quigley/Panav Jha (UK) def. Alex Llompart/Finn Tearney (PEP) 8-3
2. Jenson Turner/Sebastian Fanselow (PEP) def. Alex Musialek/Alejandro Gomez (UK) 9-8 (7-5)
3. David Sofaer/Hugh Clarke (PEP) def. Anthony Rossi/Ryuji Hirooka (UK) 9-7
Match Notes:
Pepperdine 3-2; National ranking #12
Kentucky 8-0; National ranking #7
Order of finish: Doubles (1,3,2); Singles (1,3,4,2,6)
Players Mentioned
