Feb. 20, 2015
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IOWA CITY, Iowa — Headlined by senior Matt Hagan’s thrilling three-set victory over the 39th-ranked singles player in the country, the University of Iowa men’s tennis team picked up its fifth-straight victory after topping Wichita State, 4-2, Friday night at the Hawkeye Tennis and Recreation Complex. The victory pushes the Hawkeyes to 7-1.
“I think tonight’s victory was our biggest win of the year,” said Wilson. “Wichita State is a battle-tested team with a lot of experience and talent. I’m proud of our guys. From the top to the bottom I think our guys fought hard and we did what we needed to do to win.”
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UI interim head coach Ross Wilson decided to switch around Iowa’s doubles lineup on Friday night, and it paid off. All three Hawkeye duos were playing together for the first time, including junior Dominic Patrick and freshman Josh Silverstein, whom picked up Iowa’s first doubles victory of the night with a 6-3 victory over Wichita State’s Jocelyn Devilliers and Miroslav Herzan at the No. 3 slot.
Iowa was able to secure the doubles point with a victory from Hagan and freshman Lefteris Theodorou at the No. 1 position. In a back-and-forth battle, Hagan and Theodorou knocked off the 20th-ranked duo nationally in Wichita State’s Tomislav Gregurovic and Tin Ostojic, 7-5.
Freshmen Steig Martens and Jake Jacoby faced an early 3-0 deficit against Illija Cuic and Sergio de Vilchez at No. 2 doubles, before taking four of the next five sets to tie things at 4-4. The match would eventually be abandoned with the scored tied, 6-6.
“We came out in doubles and were able to defeat a top 20 duo at No. 1 doubles, which was a huge win for us,” said Wilson. “In No. 3 doubles we were able to take control of the match and finish it off. I think that was the difference tonight because Wichita State is a strong doubles team.”
Trailing, 1-0, entering doubles play, the Shockers tied things up at one-all after Vilchez topped Martens, 6-3, 6-4 at the No. 4 slot. But the Hawkeyes came roaring back, picking up two-straight victories from Silverstein and Theodorou. Silverstein picked up his sixth victory of the season, defeating Herzan at the No. 5 position in straight-sets, 7-6, 7-6, while Theodorou used three sets to capture his sixth win of the season. Theodorou won his first set, 6-3, before dropping the second, 4-6. The Athens, Greece, native went on to win last three points of the tiebreaker set to earn a 6-4 third set win.
Wichita State would earn another victory at the No. 6 slot when Devilliers defeated Jacoby in three sets, 4-6, 6-4, 6-4, cutting Iowa’s lead down to 3-2 with two matches remaining.
In a thrilling three-set victory at the No. 1 position, Hagan secured the 4-2 victory for the Hawkeyes. The Omaha, Nebraska, native dropped his first set, 6-4, against Wichita State’s Tin Ostojic, the 39th-ranked singles player in the country, before taking the second, 6-3, forcing a tiebreaker set. Hagan and Ostojic would exchange wins set after set. The score was all knotted up at 5-5 before Hagan ripped off two-straight wins to earn the 7-5 third set victory.
“Matt Hagan keeps leading us in every single match, and that was a huge win for him,” said Wilson. “He is a great player and I think he is starting to expect this type of performance out of himself every time he steps out on the court and that’s why he has been so successful this year.”
Leading in the third set, 2-0, Patrick’s matchup with Gregurovic at the No. 2 spot was abandoned.
Iowa returns to the HTRC on Feb. 27 for a matchup against Drake. Friday’s contest is slated for a 6 p.m. (CT) start time and admission is free.
Iowa 4, Wichita State 2
Doubles
1. Hagan/Theodorou (UI) def. No. 20 Gregurovic/Ostojic (WSU): 7-5
2. Martens/Jacoby (UI) vs. Cuic/S. de Vilchez (WSU): 6-6 (Abd.)
3. Patrick/Silverstein (UI) def. Devilliers/Herzan (WSU): 6-3
Order of Finish: 3, 1
Singles
1. No. 98 Matt Hagan (UI) vs. No. 39 Tin Ostojic (WSU): 4-6, 6-3, 7-5
2. Dominic Patrick (UI) led Tomislav Gregurovic (WSU): 6-7, 7-6, 2-0 (Abd.)
3. Lefteris Theodorou (UI) def. Illija Cuic (WSU): 6-3, 4-6, 6-4
4. Sergio de Vilchez (WSU) def. Steig Martens (UI):6-3, 6-4
5. Josh Silverstein (UI) def. Miroslav Herzan (WSU): 7-6, 7-6
6. Jocelyn Devilliers (WSU) def. Jake Jacoby (UI): 4-6, 6-4, 6-4
Order of Finish: 4, 5, 3, 6, 1
