TCU
SMU
Frogs Resume Match vs. SMU, Fall 4-3
4/13/2010 12:00:00 AM | Men's Tennis
April 13, 2010
DALLAS—TCU fell to SMU Tuesday, 4-3, in the conclusion of a match suspended from earlier this season. Inclement weather back on March 24 at the Mustangs' Turpin Tennis Stadium forced the match to be delayed.
The loss dropped TCU's season record to 8-10 overall, while SMU improved to 14-10.
SMU owned a 1-0 lead on the Frogs to begin the day after taking the doubles point back on March 24. The two squads split the six singles matches Tuesday, with the Mustangs earning an automatic point due to a default by TCU at the No. 5 singles position. Junior Christopher Price, who was tabbed for the position, was unable to play after suffering an injury during the Frogs' Saturday loss to BYU.
Junior Emanuel Brighiu, playing at No. 1 singles, won his second straight match by surviving a super tiebreaker against No. 57 Artem Baradach, 7-6, 2-6, 1-0 (8). The victory marked the second by a Frog this season over an opponent ranked among the nation's top-60 players, as junior Zach Nichols downed Tulsa's 31st-rated Ashley Watling back on March 5.
Freshman Sören Goritzka, down one set at No. 6 singles to begin the day against Chris Hooshyar, used the layoff to his advantage by pulling out a comeback win in a super tiebreaker. Goritzka won each set Tuesday to win, 4-6, 7-5, 1-0 (7).
Sophomore Slah Mbarek accounted for TCU's other team point Tuesday at the No. 3 position with a win in straight sets over Tobias Flood, 6-3, 6-2.
In addition to the win by default at No. 5, SMU also received singles victories at No. 2 from David Cost over Nichols, 6-2, 6-4, and No. 4 from Darren Walsh over freshman Marius Cirstea 6-4, 6-3.
SMU took two of three doubles decisions back on March 24 to claim the 1-0 lead. The teams split the first two matches, with Baradach and Hooshyar defeating Nichols and sophomore Paul Chappell at No. 3, 8-3, and Goritzka and Mbarek downing the Mustang tandem of Pablo Perez-Esnaola and Costa at No. 2, 8-4. SMU's Walsh and Adham el-Effendi, the nation's No. 40-ranked duo, posted a 9-7 victory over Brighiu and Price at the No. 1 position to close out the point.
"Having to default at No. 5 really hurt us," head coach Dave Borelli said. "It ended up costing us the match, but I was happy with the way our guys played today. I liked the way they battled in trying to come back. I was especially happy with the way Sören played out there. This was the first match where he appeared to be comfortable and really play to the level I think he can. It was nice to be able to see him battle back today.
"Now it's all about trying to put this thing together, playing well the rest of the regular season and getting ready for the conference tournament. I really believe we will play well here down the stretch."
The Horned Frogs next return to Fort Worth for their Mountain West Conference regular-season home finale against Air Force Friday at 10 a.m. at Bayard H. Friedman Tennis Center.
Results
SMU 4, No. 63 TCU 3
April 13, 2010
Dallas, Texas (Turpin Tennis Stadium)
Play suspended on March 24 due to rain
Singles
1. Emanuel Brighiu (TCU) def. #57 Artem Baradach (SMU) 7-6, 2-6, 1-0 (10-8)
2. *David Costa (SMU) def. Zach Nichols (TCU) 6-2, 6-4
3. Slah Mbarek (TCU) def. Tobias Flood (SMU) 6-3, 6-2
4. Darren Walsh (SMU) def. Marius Cirstea (TCU) 6-4, 6-3
5. Pablo Perez-Esnaola (SMU) def. Christopher Price (TCU), by default
6. Sören Goritzka (TCU) def. Chris Hooshyar (SMU) 4-6, 7-5, 1-0 (10-7)
Doubles
1. #40 Darren Walsh/Adham el-Effendi (SMU) def. #67 Emanuel Brighiu/Christopher Price (TCU) 9-7
2. Sören Goritzka/Slah Mbarek (TCU) def. Pablo Perez-Esnaola/David Costa (SMU) 8-4
3. Artem Baradach/Chris Hooshyar (SMU) def. Zach Nichols/Paul Chappell (TCU) 8-3
Order of finish—Doubles (3,2,1); Singles (5,4,2*,3,1,6)
*--clinched team victory
Players Mentioned
