TCU
Oklahoma
Frogs Drop 6-1 Decision to No. 20 Oklahoma
3/11/2010 12:00:00 AM | Men's Tennis
March 11, 2010
FORT WORTH, Texas -- The 39th-ranked TCU men's tennis team fell to No. 20 Oklahoma Thursday, 6-1, at the Bayard H. Friedman Tennis Center. The loss dropped the Horned Frogs' overall record to 5-3, while the Sooners improved to 9-2.
"I thought Oklahoma was the best-competitive group that we have played against this year," TCU head coach Dave Borelli said. "I was disappointed that we had opportunities to get back into the match that we couldn't take advantage of. It's tough because we have only lost to three teams and they are all in the top-20, but I'm excited because with the schedule that we are playing, hopefully this is getting us ready for the rest of the season."
The match began with a highly-competitive fight in doubles. The Frogs got off to a good start with a win from the third flight, as junior Zach Nichols and freshman Sören Goitzka took down the OU squad of Lawrence Formentera and Blake Boswell by the score of 7-1. The match was cut short after Formentera had to bow out due to sickness.
Oklahoma battled back to steal the other two doubles matches to clinch the early 1-0 advantage. The Frogs' top tandem of juniors Emanuel Brighiu and Christopher Price dropped an 8-2 decision to Andrei Daescu and Costin Paval, while sophomore Slah Mbarak and junior Cameron Nash had their comeback cut short from the middle court, falling OU's to David Pultr and Ionut Beleleu, 8-4.
Oklahoma pulled away to a 2-0 lead to begin the singles action, as Pultr jumped on Goritzka out of the gate to take the match in straight sets, 6-1, 6-3. After dropping the opening set, Goritzka pulled to within one game in the second frame, before letting it slip away in the end.
Brighiu picked up the Frogs' lone point with a 6-2, 6-2 victory at the No. 5 position against George Chanturia. The junior never trailed in the match. Brighiu, a native of Iasi, Romania, earned his second-straight win of the season, following a three-set win over Grant Ive of Tulsa on March 5.
Mbarak followed with a strong outing against Daescu, the nation's 17th-ranked player, falling 6-1, 7-5, while freshman Marius-Adrian Cirstea dropped a frustrating 7-5, 1-6, 6-1 decision to No. 62 Paval at No. 3 singles. After the Sooners clinched the match, Price fell to Formentera at the No. 6 spot, 4-6, 6-3, 1-0 (1), and Nichols wrapped up the evening with a 7-6 (6), 6-3 loss to Beleleu.
TCU will enjoy the weekend off before returning to the Bayard H. Friedman Tennis Center to host Columbia at 2 p.m. on March 16.
Results
No. 20 Oklahoma 6, No. 39 TCU 1
March 11, 2010
Fort Worth, Texas (Bayard H. Friedman Tennis Center)
Doubles
1. Andrei Daescu/Costin Paval (OU) def. Emanuel Brighiu/Christopher Price (TCU) 8-2
2. David Pultr/Ionut Beleleu (OU) def. Slah Mbarek/Cameron Nash (TCU) 8-4
3. Zach Nichols/Sören Goritzka (TCU) def. Lawrence Formentera/Blake Boswell (OU) 7-1, ret. (inj.)
Singles
1. #17 Andrei Daescu (OU) def. Slah Mbarek (TCU) 6-1, 7-5
2. #74 Ionut Beleleu (OU) def. Zach Nichols (TCU) 7-6 (8-6), 6-3
3. #62 Costin Paval (OU) def. Marius Cirstea (TCU) 7-5, 1-6, 6-1
4. David Pultr (OU) def. Sören Goritzka (TCU) 6-1, 6-3
5. Emanuel Brighiu (TCU) def. George Chanturia (OU) 6-2, 6-2
6. Lawrence Formentera (OU) def. Christopher Price (TCU) 4-6, 6-3, 1-0 (10-1)
Order of finish: Doubles (3,2,1*); Singles (4, 5, 1, 3*, 6, 2)
Players Mentioned
