The University of Mississippi Athletics
Ole Miss Falls To Georgia In Another Classic Battle
2/13/2010 | Men's Tennis
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. - In another classic battle between two of the SEC's best teams over the last several years, the No. 11 nationally ranked Ole Miss men's tennis team came up just short in a tough 4-3 loss to No. 7 Georgia Friday in the first round of the ITA National Team Indoor Finals at the Boar's Head Sports Club.
The Rebels (4-1) will play the loser of the Virginia/Alabama match Saturday at 5:30 p.m. CT. Georgia (5-0) will play the winner of that match.
The match came down No. 3 singles where freshman Jonas Lutjen battled senior All-American Jamie Hunt. Lutjen gained the upperhand, winning the first set 7-5, but Hunt came back to take the second 6-3. He jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the third, but Lutjen rallied and was serving to even the set, before he got broke. Hunt went on to win the final two games to clinch the 4-3 victory.
"This was another great match between both teams, and we just came up a little short," head coach Billy Chadwick said. "We felt like we were in good position when we got the doubles point. We dropped the first set in four of the singles and still bounced back with a chance to win at the end. Chris played great, and Adrian did a good job of pulling out his match against a very good player to keep us in it. (Jamie) Hunt has been a member of two national championship teams, and he was able to pull it out in the third."
The Rebels won the doubles point to gain the early advantage. Twins Marcel and Chris Thiemann handed the Bulldog duo of Drake Bernstein and Javier Garrapiz an 8-4 loss at No. 2 doubles. With Ole Miss serving for the point in both remaining matches, the team of Tucker Vorster and Lutjen finished off an 8-6 win over the All-American duo of Nate Schnugg and Jamie Hunt at No. 1, to clinch the point.
Schnugg put Georgia on the board as he defeated Rebel Marcel Thiemann 6-4, 6-3 at No.1 singles. This was only Thiemann's second match ever at the top spot. In a battle between two freshmen, Bulldog Bo Seal defeated Ole Miss' Harry Fowler 6-3, 6-3 at No. 5 to put Georgia ahead 2-1.
The Rebels fell behind 3-1 when 49th-ranked Vorster lost to 45th-ranked Garrapiz 6-4, 6-3 at No. 2 singles.
Chris Thiemann pulled Ole Miss to within 3-2 as he finished off Christian Vitulli in straight sets at No. 6 singles. After winning the first set 7-5, Thiemann raced out to a big lead in the second only to see Vitulli come back. The Bulldog served to stay in it 4-5, but Thiemann broke for the win.
Freshman Adrian Forberg Skogeng continued his outstanding play this year, coming back to knock off 60th-ranked Drake Bernstein 2-6, 7-5, 6-3 at the No. 4 position to square the match and set up the final outcome on court three.
#7 Georgia 4
#11 Ole Miss 3
DOUBLES
1. Vorster/Lutjen (OM) def. Schnugg/Hunt (UGA) 8-6
2. Thiemann/Thiemann (OM) def. Bernstein/Garrapiz (UGA) 8-4
3. Forberg Skogeng/Fowler (OM) vs. Vitulli/Seal (UGA) 7-6, DNF
Order of Finish: 2, 1
SINGLES
1. Nate Schnugg (UGA) def. Marcel Thiemann (OM) 6-4, 6-3
2. Javier Garrapiz (UGA) def. Tucker Vorster (OM) 6-4, 6-3
3. Jamie Hunt (UGA) def. Jonas Lutjen (OM) 5-7, 6-3, 6-3
4. Adrian Forberg Skogeng (OM) def. Drake Bernstein (UGA) 2-6, 7-5, 6-3
5. Bo Seal (UGA) def. Harry Fowler (OM) 6-3, 6-3
6. Chris Thiemann (OM) def. Christian Vitulli (UGA) 7-5, 6-4
Order of Finish: 1, 5, 2, 6, 4, 3
