Feb. 22, 2013
TUCSON -
The Arizona Wildcat men's tennis team claimed their seventh victory of the season in a dramatic victory over the Cal Poly Mustangs at LaNelle Robson Tennis Center. The Cats dropped the doubles point with losses on all three courts but came back to win four singles matches in the 4-3 decision.
In doubles play, Giacomo Miccini and Mario Urquidi played Andre Dome and Jordan Bridge on court one. The junior duo was unable to secure a win in the 8-0 loss.
On court three, Matt Dunn finished second in their match against Naveen Beasley and Jurgen De Jager. The teams traded wins to tie at one and two games before Beasley and De Jager pulled ahead to take the three game lead. Thompson and Dunn answered with another win but it would be their last as Beasley and De Jager claimed the match, 8-3. The win marked two for the Mustangs and clinched the doubles point in their favor.
Meanwhile, the match on court two entered a tiebreaker. Fredrik Ask and Naoki Takeda took on Marco Comuzzo and Matt Thomson. The teams tied at one, two and three games before Comuzzo and Thomson took a three game lead. The Wildcat duo answered with the next game to bring the set to 6-4 but Comuzzo and Thomson claimed the text game to maintain the lead. Ask and Takeda battled back to win three straight and tie the match at seven and the court entered a tiebreaker. The Cats were forced to fight back to tie at one, two and three points before taking the 4-3 lead. Comuzzo and Thomson claimed the next point to tie once again at four. They went on to win the next point before Ask and Takeda earned another point. The point would be the last for the Cats as Comuzzo and Thomson clinched the tiebreaker 7-5.
In singles action, Andre Vidaller was first to finish on court three. The Santos, Brazil native fell behind early against Bridge, 3-0. Vidaller fought back to win the next game but dropped another to Bridge. Vidaller claimed one more game to bring the set to 4-2 before Bridge clinched two straight to win the set, 6-2. In the second set, Vidaller dropped the first game but came back to win the next and tie it at one. The two then traded wins to tie the set again at three and four games each before Bridge won two straight to clinch the set and the match, 6-4.
On court one, Ask was second to finish in his match against Dome. Ask took the early 2-0 lead before Dome claimed a win. Ask earned the next game but Dome answered with the next five consecutive wins, claiming the set, 6-3. In the second set, Ask, a native of Oslo, Norway, once again took the 2-0 lead. Dome claimed the next six straight to edge Ask, 6-2.
The loss marked the third for the Wildcats, forcing them to win on each remaining court to clinch the match.
On court four, Thompson was next to finish in his match against Derek Klein. In the first set, Thompson took the 3-0 lead before Klein earned two straight. Thompson answered with the next two games to bring the set to 5-2 before Klein claimed another win. Thompson clinched another game to win the set, 6-3. The junior from Brisbane, Australia earned five straight games before Klein answered with two wins. Thompson claimed one more game to clinch the set and the match, 6-2. The win marked the first of the day for the Wildcats and maintained Thompson's flawless 2013 singles record.
Finishing next was Takeda on court six. The freshman from Oso, Japan claimed the first game against Beasley and the two traded wins to tie the set at two. Beasley pulled ahead and earned the next four games to win the set, 6-2. In the second set, Takeda maintained a one game lead at 1-0, 2-1, and 3-2 before pulling ahead by two games. Beasley earned one more game before Takeda clinched two straight to win the set, 6-3. The match entered a third set where Takeda dominated play. Takeda won the first two games before Beasley claimed a win. The win would be his last as Takeda earned the next four straight to clinch the set, 6-1.
On court five, Urquidi wrapped up next in his three set match against De Jager. In the first set, Urquidi took the 4-1 lead before De Jager clinched two straight to come within one game. The two traded wins but Urquidi remained ahead, 5-4, before De Jager tied it at five. De Jager earned the next two games to win the set, 7-5. In the second set, Urquidi, a junior from El Paso, Texas, took the 3-0 lead but De Jager battled back to win two straight. The two traded wins to tie at four and five games before Urquidi won two straight to win the set, 7-5. The match entered a third set and for the first time Urquidi fell behind. He battled back to tie the set at two and went on to win three more before De Jager claimed another win. Urquidi claimed one more game to win the set, 6-3. The win marked the third for the Wildcats and tied the match at three each.
On court two Miccini and Comuzzo remained locked in a close battle, each working to clinch the match for their team. In the first set, Miccini took the 2-0 lead before Comuzzo secured a win. The two traded wins but Miccini remained one game ahead at 3-1, 3-2, 4-2 and 4-3 before Comuzzo tied it at four. Miccini clinched the next game but it would be his last as Comuzzo won two straight to claim the set, 7-5. Miccini fell behind in the second set and was forced to fight back to tie it at one, two, and three games. The two traded wins before tying one last time at six. The court entered a tiebreaker where the Recanati, Italy native came out on top, 8-6. The match entered a third set where Miccini took the early 3-0 lead before allowing two games to Comuzzo. With the set at 3-2 Miccini hit the ground, holding his ankle, the Arizona junior fought the pain to continue the set with a notable limp. Comuzzo claimed the next game to tie the set at three, but it would be his last as Miccini earned the next three to clinch the set, 6-3.
The win marked the fourth for the Wildcats in a dramatic come from behind victory.
With the win the Cats improve to 7-2 while Cal Poly falls to 5-4.
Arizona will be back in action on Sun. Feb. 24 as they host the De Paul Blue Demons at LaNelle Robson Tennis Center. The teams are set to face off at 11 a.m.
Complete Results
Arizona, 4 def. Cal Poly, 3
LaNelle Robson Tennis Center
Feb. 22, 2013
Doubles:
1. Bridge/Dome (CP) def. Miccini/Urquidi (UA), 8-0
2. Comuzzo/Thomson (CP) def. Ask/Takeda (UA). 8-7 (5)
3. Beasley/De Jager (CP) def. Thompson/Dunn (UA), 8-3
Order of finish: 1,3*,2
*Clinch doubles point
Singles:
1. Andre Dome (CP) def. Giacomo Miccini (UA) def. Marco Comuzzo (CP), 5-7, 7-6 (6), 6-3
3. Jordan Bridge (CP) def. Mario Urquidi (UA) def. Jurgen De Jager (CP), 5-7, 7-5, 6-3
6. Naoki Takeda (UA) def. Naveen Beasley (CP), 2-6, 6-3, 6-1
Order of finish: 3,1,4,6,5,2*
*Clinch match
