College Tennis News - Third-Ranked Georgia Blanks No. 18 Auburn

ATHENS-----The third-ranked Georgia men's tennis team extended its winning streak to nine matches with a 4-0 victory over 18th-ranked Auburn Friday at the Dan Magill Tennis Complex. The Bulldogs (18-4, 10-1 SEC), who clinched the SEC title last week, did not lose a set and improved to 11-0 in home matches this season. Georgia has won 13 of its last 14 contests overall.

"I was really pleased with our effort today," UGA coach Manuel Diaz said. "In singles, everything was close and we expected that. Our guys are doing a good job of raising their level when that is required. Under pressure our guys are responding, so I have to feel pretty good about today's win."

Georgia won the doubles point with wins at Nos. 1 and 2. The 24th-ranked tandem of Garrett Brasseaux and Nathan Pasha beat Auburn's 48th-ranked Dennis Lengsfeld and Lucas Lopasso, 8-4, at No. 2, then at No. 1 it was the fifth-ranked team of Hernus Pieters and Ben Wagland that prevailed 8-4 over the nation's No. 3 team of Daniel Cochrane and Andreas Mies. Eric Diaz and Marco Nunez led Lukas Ollert and Joseph Van Dooren 7-4 when the match was suspended.

"I thought we played a great doubles point," Manuel Diaz said. "Auburn's No. 1 team is in the top four or five in the country. They are one of the best teams in the nation, and that was our second win against them. That was a great victory for our No. 1 team, and our No. 2 team took care of business. I feel like we're gelling together."

In singles, Georgia first won at No. 5 where Brasseaux topped Lopasso, 6-2, 6-4, then seconds later No. 44 Pasha defeated No. 115 Cochrane, 6-3, 6-3, to give the Bulldogs a 3-0 lead. Seventh-ranked Singh notched the first clincher of his UGA career with a 6-4, 7-5 win over No. 28 Mies at No. 1. The Bulldogs also won first sets at Nos. 3, 4 and 6.

"We wanted to impose ourselves on them, even though we had already won the SEC," Singh said. "We wanted to play a clean match, and we did that."

It was the sixth shutout of the season for the Bulldogs and their third in league matches.

Georgia will wrap up the regular season at home against Alabama Sunday at 1 p.m. The match will serve as Senior Day as Will Oliver and Singh will be honored in a pre-match ceremony.

#3 Georgia 4, #18 Auburn 0

Singles competition

1. #7 KU Singh (UG) def. #28 Andreas Mies (AU), 6-4, 7-5

2. #44 Nathan Pasha (UG) def. #115 Daniel Cochrane (AU), 6-3, 6-3

3. #64 Ben Wagland (UG) vs. Dennis Lengsfeld (AU), 7-6 (7-5), 4-4, unfinished

4. #121 Hernus Pieters (UG) vs. #122 Lukas Ollert (AU), 6-2, 6-6 (6-7), unfinished

5. Garrett Brasseaux (UG) def. Lucas Lopasso (AU), 6-2, 6-4

6. Marco Nunez (UG) vs. Joseph Van Dooren (AU), 6-4, 2-5, unfinished

Doubles competition

1. #5 Hernus Pieters/Ben Wagland (UG) def. #3 Daniel Cochrane/Andreas Mies (AU), 8-4

2. #24 Garrett Brasseaux/Nathan Pasha (UG) def. #48 Dennis Lengsfeld/Lucas Lopasso (AU), 8-4

3. Eric Diaz/Marco Nunez (UG) def. Lukas Ollert/Joseph Van Dooren (AU), 7-4

Match Notes:

Auburn 13-8 (5-6); National ranking #18

Georgia 18-4 (10-1); National ranking #3

Order of finish: Doubles (2,1); Singles (5,2,1)

Official: Walt Williams T-2:48 A-612