Feb. 15, 2013

Results

SEATTLE, Wash. – In a match that was much closer than the final score, the No. 12 ranked Ole Miss men’s tennis team dropped a tight 4-0 decision to No. 6 Georgia in the first round of the ITA National Team Indoor here Friday at the Seattle Tennis Club.

Ole Miss (2-2) fell behind early dropping a close doubles point and all six first sets in singles.   With the loss, the Rebels will face Tennessee in the consolation Saturday at 10 a.m. CT.

“We just can’t seem to get over the hump,” head coach Billy Chadwick said.  “The doubles was really close. We had some chances, but just didn’t convert.  In singles, we were a little unlucky to drop three tiebreakers in first sets and then we felt the like the No. 6 match was one we should have won.    They’re freshmen are really good, and they played like it today.  We played better than we did against Mississippi State, we just have to get over the hump.”

After coming out a little tentative at No. 1 doubles against MSU the 16th-ranked duo of Nik Scholtz and Jonas Lutjen were dominate Friday, taking down the No. 5 ranked team of Ben Wagland and Hernus Pieters 8-1.  But, Georgia gained wins at the other two courts, 8-5 and 8-6 to secure the first point.

Georgia was playing without their No. 1 player.  Everyone moved up a spot, and Garrett Brasseaux came in at No. 6 singles and beat Rebel senior Adrian Forberg Skogeng 6-4, 6-2 to make it 2-0.

In a battle between two freshmen, Georgia’s Austin Smith defeated No. 84 ranked Stefan Lindmark in three sets 6-1, 3-6, 6-1 at No. 5 singles to increase the Bulldogs lead to 3-0.  The match ended, when another Georgia rookie, Nick Wood, defeated Rebel junior Johan Backstrom 6-4, 5-7, 6-3.

The trio of unfinished matches for the Rebels saw each lose the first set in a tiebreaker.   Scholtz was headed to another tiebreaker in the second against No. 21 Pasha when play was stopped, Lutjen trailed No. 92 Wagland 2-1 in the second and No. 40 William Kallberg was down 2-0 versus No. 41 Pieters.

Live scoring for Saturday’s match will be available at OleMissSports.com and Tennessee will have a live blog.  

“Tennessee will be another tight match,” Chadwick said.  “They had a close match with UCLA.  We’re close, we just need to finish it.”

Follow the Rebels on Twitter, @OleMissMTennis and on Facebook at OleMissMTennis.

#6 Georgia 4, #12 Ole Miss 0
Doubles
1. No. 16 Jonas Lutjen/Nik Scholtz (OM) def. No. 5 Hernus Pieters/Ben Wagland (UGA) 8-1
2. Nathan Pasha/Garrett Brasseaux (UG) def. No. 25 Adrian Skogeng/William Kallberg (OM) 8-5
3. Austin Smith/Nick Wood (UG) def. Johan Backstrom/Stefan Lindmark (OM) 8-6
Order of Finish: 1, 2, 3
Singles
1. No. 24 Nik Scholtz (OM) vs. No. 21 Nathan Pasha (UGA) 6-7(4), 6-6, sus.
2. No. 6 Jonas Lutjen (OM) vs. No. 92 Ben Wagland (UGA) 6-7(2), 6-3, 1-2, sus.
3. No. 40 William Kallberg (OM) vs. No. 41 Hernus Pieters (UGA) 6-7(7), 6-3, 0-2, sus.
4. Nick Wood (UGA) def. Johan Backstrom (OM) 6-4, 5-7, 6-3
5. Austin Smith (UGA) def. #84 Stefan Lindmark (OM) 6-1, 3-6, 6-1
6. Garrett Brasseaux (UGA) def. Adrian Skogeng (OM) 6-4, 6-2
Order of Finish: 6, 5, 4