Feb. 13, 2010
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. — After a tough loss in the opening round of the National Indoor Championships to No. 3 UCLA on Friday, the University of Kentucky men’s tennis team responded with a 4-3 victory over No. 13 Illinois (3-4) in the consolation bracket at the Boar’s Head Sports Club on Saturday.
Kentucky (7-2) got singles wins from sophomores Eric Quigley and Alex Musialek and freshman Anthony Rossi, the biggest coming from Musialek, who clinched the match with his three-set thriller. Ranked 39th in the ITA singles poll, Musialek posted a key come-from-behind victory over Illini junior Johnny Hamui. Musialek lost the first set 6-4, but responded in the second and third sets to win the match 4-6, 6-1, 6-2. The sophomore has won four consecutive matches on the season and has been a mainstay for UK at the No. 2 singles position.
Quigley also posted a thrilling three-set victory at No. 1 singles. The native of Pewee Valley, Ky., set the table for the Musialek’s match-clinching point, finishing just before Musialek. Quigley won the first set 6-4, but could not find his groove in the second set losing 3-6. No. 8 Quigley and Illinois sophomore No. 43 Dennis Nevolo went back-and-forth in the decisive third set with Quigley winning in a tiebreaker 7-6 (7-5).
Rossi also posted a key straight-sets victory over Illinois freshman Stephen Hoh 6-4, 7-5 at No. 4 singles.
Kentucky got on the board first, clinching its fifth doubles point in the last six matches. UK’s ninth-ranked doubles team of Quigley and junior Brad Cox defeated Nevolo and Hamui 8-6. It is the third straight doubles victory for the duo who improves to 5-1 on the season. Cox and Quigley clinched the doubles point for UK after Rossi ad Musialek posted an 8-6 victory over Connor Roth and Abe Souza. Rossi and Musialek have lost only one doubles match all season.
The Wildcats will take on No. 9 Stanford (4-1) in the second match of the consolation bracket on Sunday at noon ET. Stanford lost in the first round of the tournament to No. 8 Texas 4-0 before claiming a 4-0 win over No. 30 Fresno State in its first match in the consolation bracket.
AGATE
National Indoor Championships
Charlottesville, Va.
No. 10 Kentucky 4, No. 13 Illinois 3
Singles
1. No. 8 Eric Quigley (UK) def. Dennis Nevolo(UI) 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (7-5)
2. No. 39 Alex Musialek (UK) def. Johnny Hamui (UI) 4-6, 6-1, 6-2
3. Marek Czerwinski (UI) def. Brad Cox (UK) 6-3, 7-5
4. Anthony Rossi (UK) def. Stephen Hoh (UI) 6-4, 6-5
5. Abe Souza (UI) def. Alberto Gonzalez (UK) 1-6, 6-3, 6-1
6. Connor Roth (UI) def. Graeme Dyce (UK) 6-1, 6-3
Doubles
1. No. 9 Eric Quigley/Brad Cox (UK) def. Dennis Nevolo/Johnny Hamui (UI) 8-6
2. Marek Czerwinski/Stephen Hoh(UI) def. Alex Lambropoulos/Alberto Gonzalez (UK) 8-4
3. Anthony Rossi/Alex Musialek (UK) def. Connor Roth/Abe Souza (UI) 8-6
Order of Finish
Doubles: 3, 2, 1; Singles: 6, 3, 4, 5, 1, 2
