Alabama
Oklahoma State University
Alabama Men’s Tennis Battles Oklahoma State but Falls Short on Friday Night
2/10/2017 8:25:00 PM | Men's Tennis
Crimson Tide set to take on Oklahoma Sooners on Sunday, Feb. 12 at 1 p.m. CT.
STILLWATER, Okla. – The Alabama men's tennis team lost a 7-0 decision to 12th-ranked Oklahoma State on Friday night at the Greenwood Tennis Center. The Crimson Tide falls to an overall 5-3 record, while the Cowboys remain undefeated at 6-0.
"Tonight we got beat by a very good team," said head coach George Husack. "They (Oklahoma State) are certainly the best team that we have faced thus far. Our goal was to take it to them on all the courts physically, mentally, and emotionally. We fell short of that goal, and we will move on and learn from the experience. We want to be at the level of a team like Oklahoma State at the end of the season, and we will get back to work on that goal on Sunday against the Oklahoma Sooners."
Oklahoma State's 50th-ranked doubles pair in Lucas Gerch and Jurence Mendoza blanked freshmen Edson Ortiz and Thibault Cancel from court two, 6-0, to claim the first doubles contest. The Cowboys' fifth-ranked doubles team of Arjun Kadhe and Julian Cash topped sophomores Mazen Osama and Spencer Richey in a 6-3 decision on court one to give Oklahoma State a 1-0 match lead headed into singles play.
The ball continued to bounce in the Oklahoma State's favor in singles play, as the Cowboys' 65th-ranked singles player Mendoza defeated freshman Zhe Zhou (No. 6) in straight sets, 6-1, 6-1, to take a 2-0 match advantage. Oklahoma State went on to win back-to-back matches in straight sets to clinch the match victory, as Gerch topped freshman Alexey Nesterov (No. 5), 6-2, 6-2, before Artur Dubinski defeated Richey (No. 3), 6-3, 6-3. The Cowboys extended its match lead to 5-0, as 32nd-ranked Cash notched the Tide's 82nd-ranked singles player Cancel on court one, 5-7, 6-3, 1-0 (10-7). The Tide's 92nd-ranked singles player Osama (No. 2) fell short against the Cowboys' 48th-ranked Lukas Finzelberg, 6-4, 7-5, 1-0 (10-7), before Kadhe outlasted Ortiz (No. 4), 7-6(3), 3-6, 1-0 (10-8), to secure the 7-0 match victory.
The Tide will be back in action on Sunday, Feb. 12, when travels to Norman, Okla., to square off with 14th-ranked Oklahoma at 1 p.m. CT.
Alabama 0, No. 12 Oklahoma State 7
SINGLES RESULTS:
1. No. 32 Julian Cash (OSU) def. No. 82 Thibault Cancel (Alabama) 5-7, 6-3, 1-0 (10-7)
2. No. 48 Lukas Finzelberg (OSU) def. No. 92 Mazen Osama (Alabama) 6-4, 5-7, 1-0 (10-7)
3. Artur Dubinski (OSU) def. Spencer Richey (Alabama) 6-3, 6-3
4. Arjun Kadhe (OSU) def. Edson Ortiz (Alabama) 7-6(3), 3-6, 1-0 (10-8)
5. Lucas Gerch (OSU) def. Alexey Nesterov (Alabama) 6-2, 6-2
6. No. 65 Jurence Mendoza (OSU) def. Zhe Zhou (Alabama) 6-1, 6-1
DOUBLES RESULTS:
1. No. 5 Arjun Kadhe/Julian Cash (OSU) def. Mazen Osama/Spencer Richey (Alabama) 6-3
2. No. 50 Lucas Gerch/Jurence Mendoza (OSU) def. Edson Ortiz/Thibault Cancel (Alabama) 6-0
3. Alexey Nesterov (Alabama) vs. Lukas Finzelberg/Artur Dubinski (OSU) 4-4, DNF
Order of finish: Doubles (2,1); Singles (6,5,3,1,2,4)
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