Cardinals Fall 4-1 to Duke

Sunday, March 31

LOUISVILLE, KY

1:30 p.m.

University of Louisville

DUKE

Photo by: Dustin Massengill | Louisville Athletics

March 31, 2019 | Men's Tennis

Box Score Rex Ecarma Interview Sergio Hernandez Ramirez Interview Box Score

Louisville drops opening game of doubleheader

By: Jake Stanley

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Despite a pair of three-set matches and three tiebreakers, the University of Louisville men's tennis team was unable to best Duke, falling 4-1, to the Blue Devils Sunday afternoon at the Bass-Rudd Tennis Center.

"(It's) disappointing. I felt like we had great momentum after the Miami match," said head coach Rex Ecarma following the match. "We had some chances, but when you lose close sets like that, then you're going to get beat. They were a little bit more clutch than we were."

In doubles, Duke (8-11, 2-6 ACC) quickly took the opening point, prevailing 6-0 at third position before clinching the round with a 6-2 victory at No. 2 court. The remaining match featuring Christopher Morin-Kougoucheff and Fabien Salle of Louisville (13-9, 26-6 ACC) was abandoned with the pair trailing 5-3 at No. 1 position.

In singles, the Blue Devils extended their lead with a 6-4, 6-4 No. 6 victory, while the Cards soon knotted the match with their lone win of the day, a 6-1, 6-4 fourth-flight result for Sergio Hernandez. As the match progressed, Morin-Kougoucheff and Federico Gomez overcame first set losses to send their matches to third sets, but both would eventually be abandoned with the Louisville players leading in each. Duke then wrapped up the match victory with consecutive wins at No. 3 (6-1, 7-6 (5)) and No. 2 (7-6 (2), 6-4) positions.

The Cardinals will return to the court Sunday evening for the second match of their doubleheader as they take on Illinois State at 7 p.m. at Bass-Rudd. Louisville will then return to ACC competition next Friday with a match at Clemson which is set for 5 p.m.

RESULTS
Singles
1. Christopher Morin-Kougoucheff (UL) vs. #75 Nick Stachowiak (DUKE), 4-6, 6-3, 4-0 (unfinished)
2. Spencer Furman (DUKE) def. Brandon Lancaster (UL), 7-6 (2), 6-4
3. Catalin Mateas (DUKE) def. Fabien Salle (UL), 6-1, 7-6 (5)
4. Sergio Hernandez (UL) def. Sean Sculley (DUKE), 6-1, 6-4
5. Federico Gomez (UL) vs. Vincent Lin (DUKE), 6-7 (6), 7-5, 1-0 (unfinished)
6. Jason Lapidus (DUKE) def. Clement Filho (UL), 6-4, 6-4

Order of finish: 6,4,3,2

Doubles
1. Christopher Morin-Kougoucheff/Fabien Salle (UL) vs. Nick Stachowiak/Jason Lapidus (DUKE), 3-5 (unfinished)
2. Catalin Mateas/Sean Sculley (DUKE) def. Federico Gomez/Alex Wesbrooks (UL), 6-2
3. Spencer Furman/Vincent Lin (DUKE) def. George Hedley/Fredrik Moe (UL), 6-0

Order of finish: 3,2