SEATTLE -- The No. 2 USC men's tennis team's first loss of the 2013 season came to top-ranked and top-seeded Viriginia today in the championship match at the ITA National Team Indoor Championships in Seattle. The tight 4-2 loss to the Cavaliers snapped a 20-match winning streak held by the Trojans dating back through USC's run to the 2012 NCAA Championship, where the Trojans beat Virginia 4-2 in last year's national championship match. USC was looking to defend its 2012 ITA National Indoor Championship, but the highly ranked Cavaliers stole away this year's title thanks to some strong wins at the top of the lineup. USC goes to 12-1 overall with its first loss of 2013.
Virginia proved the aggressors early during doubles play with two strong wins to claim that first point. UVA's Domijan/Frank upended USC's #49 Gomez/Johnson 8-4 on court three, and then #15 J. Shane/Uriguen capped off the point for the Cavaliers in beating USC's de Vroome/Quiroz 8-3 at the No. 2 spot, suspending play on court one with USC's #48 Hanfmann/Sarmiento leading UVA's #4 Jenkins/Styslinger 7-4.
Virginia would take a 2-0 lead on top-ranked Alex Domijan's 6-3, 6-2 win over USC's #10 Emilio Gomez on court two, but USC fired back with #46 Eric Johnson's 7-5, 6-4 takedown of Justin Shane at the No. 6 slot. Another highly seeded Cavalier would win out next, as #7 Jarmere Jenkins topped USC's #12 Ray Sarmiento 6-2, 6-4 on court one, and UVA was up 3-1.
USC wouldn't go down without a fight, though. The Trojans' #109 freshman Max de Vroome flexed some serious muscle on court five in upsetting UVA's #25 Ryan Shane with a 7-6 (4), 6-3 win to pull USC within reach, down 3-2. At the No. 3 spot, however, Virginia got the job done. Mitchell Frank wrapped up the win for the Cavaliers with a 6-3, 7-5 victory over USC #23 sophomore Roberto Quiroz to make it a 4-2 UVA win. It was Virginia's first win over USC in five tries. The Trojans have beaten the Cavaliers during the past four NCAA tournaments, with Virginia's last win coming in the 2007 NCAA quarterfinals.
USC now returns home to prep for a nonconference clash against crosstown rival UCLA, which the Trojans beat 4-3 yesterday in the semifinals of the ITA National Indoor Championships. USC will host the No. 3 Bruins at 3 p.m. on Friday (Feb. 22) at Marks Stadium.
2013 ITA NATIONAL INDOOR CHAMPIONSHIPS (Seattle, Wash.)
CHAMPIONSHIP - Feb. 18
#1 Virigina 4, #2 USC 2
DOUBLES
(1) #48 Hanfmann/Sarmiento (USC) vs. #4 Jenkins/Styslinger (UVA) - 7-4 susp.
(2) #15 J. Shane/Uriguen (UVA) def. De Vroome/Quiroz (USC) - 8-3
(3) Domijan/Frank (UVA) def. Gomez/Johnson (USC) - 8-4
UVA wins doubles point.
Order of finish: 3, 2
SINGLES
(1) #7 Jarmere Jenkins (UVA) def. #12 Ray Sarmiento (USC) - 6-2, 6-4
(2) #1 Alex Domijan (UVA) def. #10 Emilio Gomez (USC) - 6-3, 6-2
(3) Mitchell Frank (UVA) def. #23 Roberto Quiroz (USC) - 6-3, 7-5*
(4) #94 Yannick Hanfmann (USC) vs. #5 Mac Styslinger (UVA) - 6-4, 3-6, 2-2 susp.
(5) #109 Max de Vroome (USC) def. #25 Ryan Shane (UVA) - 7-6 (4), 6-3
(6) #46 Eric Johnson (USC) def. Justin Shane (UVA) - 7-5, 6-4
Order of finish: 2, 6, 1, 5, 3
