BOCA RATON, Fla. - Despite earning the early point in doubles, the UC Santa Barbara Men's Tennis team narrowly lost to South Florida on Saturday afternoon.
THE MATCH
Final: UC Santa Barbara 3, USF 4
Records: UC Santa Barbara (5-2), USF (7-2)
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Gauchos got off to a hot start with two quick doubles victories to earn the doubles point.
Lucca Liu and
Diogo Morais were the first to get a 6-2 win on court two. The 35th-ranked pairing of
Gianluca Brunkow and
Dominique Rolland secured the first point for the Blue and Gold with a 7-5 defeat of the Bulls on court one.
Charlie Underwood and
Conrad Brown held a 6-5 lead on court three before it was left unfinished.
As singles got underway, the Bulls caught up with the Gauchos with a straight set victory over No. 25
Gianluca Brunkow.
Dominique Rolland kept the Gauchos in the lead, however, as he dominated his opponent 6-3, 6-2. The Bulls matched point-for-point defeating
Lucca Liu, who put up a tough battle, narrowly dropping the second set 7-5.
South Florida pulled within one point of the win after court six finished in a 6-4, 6-3 loss for
Charlie Underwood. From there, the Gauchos would split the last two courts with
Conrad Brown taking a 7-5, 6-2 loss but No. 73
Diogo Morais earning a three-set win on court four. The Bulls handed the Gauchos only their second loss of the season with a 4-3 final result.
RESULTS
Doubles
1. #35 Brunkow/Rolland (UCSB) def. Mruzek/Cuellar (USF) 7-5
2. Liu/Morais (UCSB) def. Car/Verdese (USF) 6-2
3. Underwood/Brown (UCSB) vs. Hudson/Llanes (USF), unfinished 6-5
Order of finish: 2,1
Singles
1. Hugo Car (USF) def. #25
Gianluca Brunkow (UCSB) 6-3, 6-2
2. Agustin Cuellar (USF) def.
Lucca Liu (UCSB) 6-1, 7-5
3.
Dominique Rolland (UCSB) def. Gughi Verdese (USF) 6-3, 6-2
4. #73
Diogo Morais (UCSB) def. Toto Llanes (USF) 7-5, 6-7 (6-8), 1-0
5. Ben Hudson (USF) def.
Conrad Brown (UCSB) 7-5, 6-2
6. Stepan Mruzek (USF) def.
Charlie Underwood (UCSB) 6-4, 6-3
Order of finish: 1,3,2,6,5,4
UP NEXT
The Blue and Gold gear up for the second day of action in Florida facing the weekend's host, Florida Atlantic. The Gauchos and Owls are set to compete Sunday at 7 a.m. PT at the Kimberly V. Strauss Tennis Center.
