#19 Georgia Tech Defeats Clemson

March 30, 2011

CLEMSON, SC – The 19th-ranked Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets defeated Clemson 6-1 in a men’s Atlantic Coast Conference tennis match at Clemson, SC Wednesday evening.

With the win, Georgia Tech improves to 13-2 overall and 4-1 in the ACC. Clemson falls to 14-6 overall and 1-4 in league play. The Tigers are ranked 48th nationally. The match was played indoors at the Hoke Sloan Tennis Center on the Clemson campus because of inclement weather.

Georgia Tech opened the match by winning the doubles point. Eliot Potvin and Ryan Smith defeated the Tigers’ Moritz Dettinger at number-two doubles 9-7 to clinch the doubles point. Clemson’s Juan Bolona and Dominique Maden won at number-three doubles with a 9-8 victory over Guillermo Gomez and Dean O’Brien.

In singles, Clemson’s Yannick Maden defeated Juan Spir 6-4, 6-1 at number-two singles to tie the score 1-1. From this point, Tech won the next five singles matches. In these next five singles matches four contests went to three-sets.

“Although this loss hurts, I am pleased with the development of this team,” said Clemson Head Coach Chuck McCuen. “Our singles and doubles are continuing to improve, and we are putting ourselves in the position to win matches.

“I am very confident that we are going to find the formula to reach the upper level of college tennis. This team has improved and grown during the season and we are starting to figure out what it takes to win these tough matches. We are very close to winning and being successful. It hurts to lose close matches, but we are learning valuable lessons. Our three starting newcomers are receiving valuable experience. We are starting to digest what we have to do to win these tough matches. We were so close today, although the team score does not indicate it,” said McCuen.

Clemson will play at Maryland and Boston College this weekend in Atlantic Coast Conference matches.

Georgia Tech 6, Clemson 1

Singles 1. Guillermo Gomez (GT) d. Derek DiFazio (CU) 6-4, 3-6, 6-4 2. Yannick Maden (CU) d. Juan Spir (GT) 6-4, 6-1 3. Kevin King (GT) d. Gerardo Meza (CU) 6-4, 6-3 4. Eliot Potvin (GT) d. Dominique Maden (CU) 6-4, 3-6, 6-2 5. Magin Ortiga (GT) d. Kevin Galloway (CU) 6-4, 3-6, 10-5 6. Dean O’Brien (GT) d. Wesley Moran (CU) 5-7, 7-6 (8-6) 10-5 Order of Finish: 2, 3, 4, 1, 5, 6

Doubles 1. Spir/King (GT) d. DiFazio/ Robert Pietrucha (CU) 8-2 2. Potvin/Ryan Smith (GT) d. Y. Maden/ Moritz Dettinger (CU) 9-7 3. Juan Bolona /D. Maden (CU) d. Gomez/O’Brien (GT) 9-8 Order of Finish: 1, 2, 3