Cards Wrap Up Thursday Doubleheader with 5-2 Win Over Xavier

Thursday, February 21

LOUISVILLE, KY

6:00 p.m.

University of Louisville

XAVIER

Cards Wrap Up Thursday Doubleheader with 5-2 Win Over Xavier

February 21, 2019 | Men's Tennis

Box Score Coach Rex Ecarma Interview Sergio Hernandez Ramirez Interview Photo Gallery

Cards win fifth straight match

By: Lori Korte

LOUISVILLE, Ky. The University of Louisville men's tennis team collected its fifth straight victory with a 5-2 win over Xavier Thursday evening at the Bass-Rudd Tennis Center. The match completed a doubleheader sweep after the Cards beat Northern Kentucky 7-0 earlier in the day.

The Cardinals (11-3) gained an early advantage with doubles wins at Nos. 1 and 2. Senior Christopher Morin-Kougoucheff and freshman Fabien Salle teamed to beat Jack Dykema and Brett Winters 6-2 on court one. Seniors Brandon Lancaster and George Hedley followed quickly with a 6-3 win over Matthew Graft and Connor LaFavre at the two-spot to clinch the first point of the match.

Louisville moved ahead 2-0 in singles with Morin-Kougoucheff's 6-1, 6-2 decision against Winters at No. 1.

At the six-spot, Xavier's Michael Lee posted a 6-1, 6-3 win over freshman Juan Paredes to put the Musketeers (1-8) on the scoreboard and cut the lead in half.

The Cardinals countered on court two, where Lancaster topped Dykema 6-2, 6-1 to push Louisville's lead to 3-1.

The match was decided at the No. 4 spot where freshman Sergio Hernandez Ramirez beat LaFavre 7-6, 6-1 to clinch the win for the Cardinals. Senior Federico Gomez increased the Cardinals' lead to 5-1 with his 6-4, 2-6, 6-3 decision against Vrba at the five-spot.

Xavier's Graft wrapped up the match with a 7-5, 1-6, 6-3 win over Salle on court three.

"Xavier obviously made a push tonight," said UofL head coach Rex Ecarma. "Some of those guys we know very well, some of those guys came here on recruiting visits, so they were really hyped up for Louisville and they did a good job. Fede Gomez and Fabien Salle, have played so many matches. I was thinking when I was out there on the court with Fabien, we're not even halfway through the season and he's got so many matches under his legs and Fede is the same way. I was really glad they pushed it to a third set. Gomez got his, Salle didn't get his, but again it was a short week. It's like football, you have a Sunday game and all of a sudden you have a Thursday night game. That's how we felt. We were much fresher in the morning, and you could see the wear and tear by the end."

The Cardinals will return to action on March 3 when they play host to Northwestern at 12 p.m.

Tennis Match Results
Xavier vs Louisville Men's Tennis
2/21/2019 at Louisville, Ky.
(Bass-Rudd Tennis Center)

#44 Louisville Men's Tennis 5, Xavier 2

Singles competition
1. Christopher Morin-Kougoucheff (LOU) def. Brett Winters (XU) 6-1, 6-2
2. Brandon Lancaster (LOU) def. Jack Dykema (XU) 6-2, 6-1
3. Matthew Graft (XU) def. Fabien Salle (LOU) 7-5, 1-6, 6-3
4. Sergio Hernandez Ramirez (LOU) def. Connor LaFavre (XU) 7-6 (7-3), 6-1
5. Federico Gomez (LOU) def. Jan Vrba (XU) 6-4, 2-6, 6-3
6. Michael Lee (XU) def. Juan Manuel Paredes (LOU) 6-1, 6-3

Doubles competition
1. C. Morin-Kougoucheff/Fabien Salle (LOU) def. Jack Dykema/Brett Winters (XU) 6-2
2. Brandon Lancaster/George Hedley (LOU) def. Matthew Graft/Connor LaFavre (XU) 6-3
3. Michael Lee/Jan Vrba (XU) vs. Sergio Ramirez/Fredrik Moe (LOU) 3-3, unfinished

Match Notes:
Xavier 1-8
Louisville Men's Tennis 11-3; National ranking #44
Order of finish: Doubles (1,2); Singles (1,6,2,4,5,3)
T-2:15 A-168