College Tennis News - No. 7 Pepperdine Tops No. 22 Dawgs

Kyle McMorrow earns a win over the nation's No. 6 player for the only Husky...

SEATTLE -- No. 22 Washington (2-2) fell to No. 7 Pepperdine (2-0) on Tuesday by a final of 6-1. Kyle McMorrow earned a huge singles victory over the nation's sixth ranked player for the lone Husky point.

McMorrow faced No. 6 Sebastian Fanselow for the Waves in a matchup of two of the nation's top players. Fanselow broke McMorrow in the first set, winning 6-4. In the second set, McMorrow dominated, earning an early break and finished out the set 6-2 to even things up. In the third set, McMorrow earned a break and appeared to have the match in hand, but Fanselow broke back to even things at 5-5. The Husky senior dug deep, holding serve on a long game to go up 6-5 and then earning a second break to win the final set 7-5.

While it was a great win for McMorrow, it would be the only one of the day as the Waves won the other six points.

The Dawgs fell behind 1-0 after doubles, although it could have gone either way. After David Sofaer and Mousheg Hovhannisyan defeated Viktor Farkas and Jeff Hawke, 8-4, the Dawgs appeared to have momentum. Emmett Egger and Kyle McMorrow were locked in a battle with Finn Tearney and Francis Alcantra, while Max Manthou and Hudson Barnhart had the lead in No. 2 doubles.

With Manthou and Barnhart leading 7-5, Egger and McMorrow had a late chance to break and get back on serve, but fell just short in a back and forth game, losing their match, 8-6. Manthou and Barhart's match was not finished, although the duo was nearing the victory, leading 7-5.

In singles, Egger was late in a very close match when he was forced to retire. Egger was tied with Sarkissian 3-3 in the third set, but ended early after Peppedine clinched the team outcome. Also taking it three sets in a loss was Hawke who won the first set 6-3, but followed that up by losing a second-set tiebreak and the final set, 6-3.

Falling in straight sets were Marton Bots, Manthou and Farkas. Bots fell 6-1, 6-1 to Finn Tearney, while Manthou battled hard, winning four games in each set, but eventually fell, 6-4, 6-4. Farkas lost a first-set tiebreak and then the clinching team point in the second set, 6-2.

Washington will be back at it in less than 48 hours when it hosts Portland on Friday, January 27, at 5 p.m. The Dawgs look to remain undefeated against the Pilots all-time.

Washington Men's Tennis

Nordstrom Tennis Center - Seattle, Wash.

January 25, 2013

No. 7 Pepperdine 6, No. 22 Washington 1

Doubles

1) Alcantara/Tearney d. Egger/McMorrow, 8-6.

2) Barnhart/Manthou led Fanselow/Sarkissian, 7-5 (DNF).

3) Hovhannisyan/Sofaer d. Farkas/Hawke, 8-4.

Order of Finish: 3, 1

Singles

1) Kyle McMorrow d. No. 6 Sebastian Fanselow, 4-6, 6-2, 7-5.

2) Finn Tearney d. Marton Bots, 6-1, 6-1.

3) Alex Sarkissian d. Emmett Egger, 6-3, 5-7, 3-3 (WD)

4) Francis Alcantara d. Max Manthou, 6-4, 6-4.

5) Mousheg Hovhannisyan d. Viktor Farkas, 7-6 (7), 6-2.

6) David Sofaer d. Jeff Hawke, 3-6, 7-6 (7), 6-3.

Order of Finish: 2, 4, 5, 3, 1, 6.