Texas Tech Athletics
No. 35 Auburn
Red Raiders Edge Auburn at Blue Gray
February 20, 2015 | Men's Tennis
Francisco Zambon secured the final point, as Texas Tech upended Auburn, 4-3, on Friday in Montgomery, Ala.
February 20, 2015
MONTGOMERY, Ala. - Francisco Zambon battled back from a second-set loss in a tiebreaker to topple Dante Saleh, 6-4, 6-7, 6-3, to secure the deciding point as No. 38 Texas Tech upset No. 35 Auburn, 4-3, in the quarterfinals of the 67th Annual Blue Gray National Tennis Classic at the Lagoon Park Tennis Center on Friday.
"This was a big win because of how hard we fought," said Texas Tech head coach Tim Siegel. "It was just a great college tennis match."
Auburn picked up the first point of the day after winning a pair of doubles matches. Auburn's Lukas Ollert and Joseph Van Dooren ousted Tech's Connor Curry and Alex Sendegeya, 6-3, at No. 3. Maxime Hinnisdaels and Dante Saleh then pulled past Zambon and Jolan Cailleau, 6-4 at No. 2.
The Red Raiders' top team of Felipe Soares and Hugo Dojas, who are ranked No. 22, were leading 5-4 over Marko Krickovic and Oliver Plaskett, when the match was abandoned.
No. 125 Cailleau tied the match at 1-1 with a 6-1, 6-1 win over Van Dooren at No. 4. Sendegeya then ousted former Red Raider Hinnisdaels, 7-5, 6-3, giving Texas Tech its first lead of the day, 2-1.
No. 111 Dojas extend the Red Raider lead to 3-1 with a 6-2, 0-6, 6-1 win over Krickovic at No. 2. But Auburn answered with a win at No. 1, as Ollert upset No. 35 Soares, 7-5, 7-5.
Plaskett tied the match at 3-3 with a 3-6, 7-5, 6-1 over Curry, setting up Zambon's heroics.
"I could not be prouder of these guys," added Siegel. "They have withstood adversity and come together only to get stronger."
Texas Tech will now face No. 24 South Florida in the semifinals at 2 p.m. on Saturday.
Blue Gray National Tennis Classic
Montgomery, Ala. (Lagoon Park Tennis Center)
SEMIFINAL
#38 Texas Tech 4, #35 Auburn 3
Singles
1. #79 Lukas Ollert (AUB) def. #35 Felipe Soares (TT) 7-5, 7-5
2. #111 Hugo Dojas (TT) def. #116 Marko Krickovic (AUB) 6-2, 0-6, 6-1
3. Alex Sendegeya (TT) def. #108 Maxime Hinnisdaels (AUB) 7-5, 6-3
4. #125 Jolan Cailleau (TT) def. Joseph Van Dooren (AUB) 6-1, 6-1
5. Francisco Zambon (TT) def. Dante Saleh (AUB) 6-4, 6-7, 6-3
6. Oliver Plaskett (AUB) def. Connor Curry (TT) 3-6, 7-5, 6-1
Doubles
1. Marko Krickovic / Oliver Plaskett (AUB) vs. #22 Felipe Soares / Hugo Dojas (TT), unfinished 4-5
2. Maxime Hinnisdaels / Dante Saleh (AUB) def. Francisco Zambon / Jolan Cailleau (TT) 6-4
3. Lukas Ollert / Joseph Van Dooren (AUB) def. Connor Curry / Alex Sendegeya (TT) 6-3
Records: #38 Texas Tech 11-2; #35 Auburn 9-2
Order of Finish: Doubles (3,2); Singles (4,3,2,1,6,5)
Players Mentioned
