TCU
UNLV
TCU Opens MWC Schedule with Win vs. UNLV
4/2/2010 12:00:00 AM | Men's Tennis
April 2, 2010
LAS VEGAS, Nev.—TCU opened its Mountain West Conference title defense by posting a 4-3 road victory over No. 60 UNLV Friday at the Rebels' Fertitta Tennis Center.
The win evened the 66th-rated Frogs' season record at 7-7, while UNLV dropped to 10-8.
TCU took four of the six singles decisions to help offset dropping the doubles point to UNLV, which claimed two of three doubles matches. The Frogs trailed 3-2 before junior Zach Nichols and sophomore Slah Mbarek won the final two singles matches to clinch the TCU victory.
Nichols, Mbarek and junior Christopher Price each improved to 9-5 this spring in singles, while freshman Marius Cirstea posted an important win at the No. 6 position to help the Frogs nab the team decision.
Nichols clinched TCU's team victory at No. 2 singles with a 7-6(5), 6-1 win over Luca Baarlocchi. The Frog junior trailed 3-0 in the opening set before fighting back to force a tiebreaker, then controlled the match the rest of the way.
Mbarek also won his second straight match, 6-4, 7-5, over Johannes Markel at the No. 3 position, while Price, playing in the No. 5 spot for the first time in two weeks, earned a 6-3, 6-4 win over Kasper Konyves. Cirstea's win also came in straight sets, 6-3, 6-4, over Charlie Alvarado.
TCU's two singles losses both came in tight matches. Junior Emanuel Brighiu fell in three sets at the No. 1 position to Mehdi Bouras, 6-4, 3-6, 6-1, while Attila Toth posted a 6-4, 6-4 win over freshman Sören Goritzka at No. 4.
"All of our guys competed well in singles," head coach Dave Borelli said. "It was nice to see Marius play well and gain some confidence. He played like we think he can play, so he did a heck of a job. Sören played a tight match against a good player and Brighiu lost a three-setter so I was pleased with our singles play overall."
Nichols went 2-0 on the day overall after partnering with sophomore Paul Chappell for an 8-6 win over Konyves and Toth at No. 3 doubles. UNLV took the team point with an 8-6 win by Barlocchi and Bouras at No. 1 over TCU's 61st-rated duo of Price and Brighiu and an 8-4 decision by Markel and Bernard Schoeman over Mbarek and Goritzka in the No. 2 slot.
"We need to play better in doubles," Borelli said. "We are not playing at the level we were earlier this spring, and it has cost us wins in a couple of our recent matches. I spoke about that with our guys following today's match, and think from here on in our doubles will be more to the level that were are accustomed."
TCU finishes up its weekend on the west coast with a 1 p.m. CT matchup against San Diego State in San Diego on Sunday, April 4.
Results
No. 66 TCU 4, No. 60 UNLV 3
April 2, 2010
Las Vegas, Nev. (Fertitta Tennis Center)
Doubles
1. Mehdi Bouras/Luca Barlocchi (UNLV) def. #61 Emanuel Brighiu/Christopher Price (TCU) 8-6
2. Johannes Markel/B. Schoeman (UNLV) def. Slah Mbarek/Sören Goritzka (TCU) 8-4
3. Paul Chappell/Zach Nichols (TCU) def. Kasper Konyves/Attila Toth (UNLV) 8-6
Singles
1. Mehdi Bouras (UNLV) def. Emanuel Brighiu (TCU) 6-4, 3-6, 6-1
2. *Zach Nichols (TCU) def. Luca Baarlocchi (UNLV) 7-6(5), 6-1
3. Slah Mbarek (TCU) def. Johannes Markel (UNLV) 6-4, 7-5
4. Attila Toth (UNLV) def. Sören Goritzka (TCU) 6-4, 6-4
5. Christopher Price (TCU) def. Kasper Konyves (UNLV) 6-3, 6-4
6. Marius Cirstea (TCU) def. Charlie Alvarado (UNLV) 6-3, 6-4
Order of Finish: Doubles (2,1,3), Singles (6,5,4,1,3,2*).
*-clinched team victory
Players Mentioned
