University of Louisville
Drake University
Men's Tennis Upends Drake 7-0
January 31, 2009 | Men's Tennis
Jan. 31, 2009
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. - - The University of Louisville men's team defeated Drake 7-0 in the first round of the ITA Kickoff Weekend. The Cards will face eighth-ranked host Tennessee Sunday at 3 p.m. to determine who will advance to the ITA Indoor National Championships.
The Cardinals improve to 5-0 while Drake opens the season at 0-1 after entering the match in the midst of a 42-match regular season win streak dating back to 2007,
U of L took the doubles point to start the match. The duo of Austen Childs and Simon Childs cruised to an 8-1 win over Evgeny Silitski and Maor Zirkin at the top seed. The 44th-ranked team of Alejandro Calligari and Robert Rotaru also picked up an8-1 win over Ricardo Lau and Marsiglia at the two-spot. Robert Hall and Viktor Maksimcuk were up 4-3 when their match was suspended after the point was clinched.
The Cards swept the singles points for the fourth time this year. Austen Childs, No. 47 in the ITA singles rankings, defeated No. 116 Zirkin 6-2, 7-5 at the top seed. Viktor Maksimcuk dropped the first set to Ballivian 6-4, but went on to win the next two sets 6-3, 6-3. Simon Childs eat Silitski 6-1, 6-2 at No. 3. Rotaru picked up a 6-1, 6-4 win over Lau at the five spot. Hall defeated Mendoza 6-3, 6-3 at No. 4. Andrew Carter closed the match with his 6-1, 6-3 decision over Marsiglia at the No. 6 seed.
"To beat a team that had a 42-match regular season winning streak as decisively as we did is definitely an achievement," said U of L head coach Rex Ecarma. "We've been working on starting matches with a decisive doubles point and a bunch of first set wins in singles is exactly what I wanted. When a team has a lot of communication and trust in each other like we all do the sky is the limit with our potential."
No. 43 Louisville 7 No. 52 Drake 0
Singles
1. No. 47 Austen Childs (UL) def. No. 116 Maor Zirkin (DU) 6-2, 7-5
2. Viktor Maksimcuk (UL) def. Mauricio Ballivian (DU) 4-6, 6-3, 6-3
3. No. 65 Simon Childs (UL) def. Evgeny Silitski (DU) 6-1, 6-2
4. Robert Rotaru (UL) def. Ricardo Lau (DU) 6-1, 6-4
5. Robert Hall (UL) def. Ivan Mendoza (DU) 6-3, 6-3
6. Andrew Carter (UL) def. Guilherme Marsiglia (DU) 6-1, 6-3
Order of Finish: 3,4,1,2,5,6
Doubles
1. Childs/Childs (UL) def. Silitski/Zirkin (DU) 8-1
2. No. 44 Calligari/Rotaru (UL) def. Lau/Marsiglia (DU) 8-1
3. Hall/Maksimcuk (UL) led Ballivian/Mendoza (DU) 4-3
Order of Finish: 1,2
Players Mentioned
