KNOXVILLE, TN—Winthrop’s men were overmatched on Saturday by the 2nd ranked Tennessee Vols who made quick work of the Eagles with a 4-0 victory in the NCAA Tennis Championship First Round at Barksdale Varsity Tennis Courts in Knoxville.
Winthrop, which came into the tournament unranked after winning the Big South Conference Championship after finishing second in the regular season, ends its season with a 13-12 record. Tennessee, which won both the regular season and conference tournament championships in the Southeastern Conference for the first time since 1990, improves to 26-1 and extends its winning streak to 17 straight matches
The Eagles dropped the doubles point as junior Sergey Belov and senior Daniel Daudt dropped it’s No. 1 match to the nationally 3rd-ranked team of Davey Sandgren and John-Patrick Smith, 8-5. Tennessee clinched the doubles point with a win at 8-2 win at No. 2 as sophomores Nadav Ruppin and Guy Kubi fell to the 7th ranked duo of Boris Conkic and Rhyne Williams.
The Vols made quick work of Winthrop in singles action as they took the matches at No. 1 behind the play of the nation’s top-ranked singles player John-Patrick Smith. Smith eliminated Belov 6-0, 6-0. At No. 3, Williams knocked off Levy 6-0, 6-0. Matt Brewer won the deciding match for the Vols at No. 5 with a 6-4, 6-3 win over Kubi.
“Our guiys played their hearts out today, but we just ran into a team in Tennessee that was too good. They showed why they are ranked No. 2 in the nation,” said Winthrop head coach Cid Carvalho. “Our team competed well and kept their heads up. I told them after the match that they had a great season in winning the Big South at Radford and not let this match take anything away from what they accomplished this year. Our goal next season will be to keep improving and if we are fortunate enough to win the Big South have a chance at a better seed in the NCAA tournament.”
2010 NCAA Tennis Championships
Doubles
No. 1—Davey Sandgren/John-Patrick Smith (UT) def. Sergey Belov/Daniel Daudt (WU), 8-5
No. 2—Boris Conkic/Rhyne Williams (UT) def. Nadav Ruppin/Guy Kubi (WU, 8-2),
No. 3—Matteo Fago//Edward Jones (UT) vs. Liran Levy/Dejon Bivens (WU), DNF,
Singles
No. 1—Smith (UT) def. Belov (WU), 6-0, 6-0
No. 2—Conkic (UT) vs.. Ruppin (WU), DNF,
No. 3—Williams (UT) def. Levy (WU), 6-0. 6-0
No. 4—Tennys Sandgren (UT) vs. Bivens (WU), DNF,
No. 5—Matt Brewer (UT) def. Kubi (WU, 6-4, 6-3
No. 6—Fago (UT) vs. Daudt (WU), DNF