Men's Tennis Falls in NCAA Round of 16

Friday, May 21

Athens, GA

3:00 PM

University of Louisville

Tennessee (Round of 16)

May 21, 2010 | Men's Tennis

May 21, 2010

The Louisville Cardinal men's tennis team fell 4-0 to second seeded Tennessee in the Round of 16 at 2010 NCAA Men's Tennis Championships Friday night in Athens, Ga.

The No. 15-ranked Cardinals finish their season with a school record mark of 24-6, while UT improves to 28-1 and advances to play the winner of the Baylor/Texas A&M match.

"We were not overwhelmed by being in the Round of 16," said U of L head coach Rex Ecarma. "We saw almost the exact same 16 teams at the national indoor championships in February. We were beaten by a team that looks like this year's national champion."

The Cardinals gave up the doubles point after a lengthy rain delay. At No. 3, Robert Hall and Andrew Carter fell first with an 8-3 loss to Edward Jones and Matteo Fago. Next to fall was the pair of Simon Childs and Alejandro Calligari at No. 1, who were updended 8-5 by John-Patrick Smith and Davey Sandgren, the third-ranked pair in the nation.

Having moved indoors with only four courts, the top four U of L players took on the nationally ranked Vols. The first singles point for the Volunteers came when U of L's Alejandro Calligari fell 6-1, 6-3 to Tennys Sandgren. At No .3, Simon Childs struggled with UT's #45-ranked Rhyn Williams, falling 6-2, 6-0 to give the Vols a 3-0 lead. At No. 1 singles, #19-ranked Austen Childs had the unenviable task of taking on the #1-ranked player in the nation, falling 6-2, 6-2 to John-Patrick Smith. At No. 2 singles, U of L's Viktor Maksimcuk took the first set 6-4 but was trailing 4-1 when the match was suspended.

"With all of our starters returning, our goal is to be a very high seed in the 2011 NCAAs and be in the conversation of national championship conversation," said Ecarma.

Doubles1.)  #3 John-Patrick Smith/Davey Sandgren (UT) def. Simon Childs/Alejandro Calligari (8-5)3.) Edward Jones/Matteo Fago (UT) def. Robert Hall/Andrew Carter, UL (8-3)
Singles1.) #1 John-Patrick Smith (UT) def. Austen Childs 6-2, 6-22.) #36 Boris Concik (UT) def. Viktor Maksimcuk 4-6, 4-1 dnf3.) #45 Rhyne Williams (UT) def. #92 Simon Childs 6-2, 6-04.) #111 Tennys Sandgren (UT) def. Alejandro Calligari 6-1, 6-35.) #116 Matt Brewer (UT) vs. Andrew Carter dnp6.) Matteo Fago (UT) vs. Robert Hall dnp