TAMPA, JAN. 23, 2015 – After falling behind 3-1, the 20th-ranked USF men's tennis team rallied behind sophomore Vadym Kalyuzhnyy and freshman Justin Roberts to secure a comeback win over No. 25 Vanderbilt in the opening round of the ITA Kick-Off at the Hilary J. Boone Varsity Tennis Complex in Lexington, Kentucky.
The Bulls' resiliency was tested early on when Vanderbilt took the doubles point after the No. 6 ranked duo of Roberto Cid and Sasha Gozun dropped their match to the No. 5 ranked tandem of Gonzales Austin and Rhys Johnson.
USF found itself in a 2-0 hole before Oliver Pramming defeated No. 73 Rhys Johnson, 5-7, 6-1, 6-2. Cid dropped his match to No. 10 Gonzales Austin, giving Vandy a 3-1 lead with just three courts left to play.
The Bulls picked up another point from Ignacio Gonzalez-Muniz but the momentum turned when Kalyuzhnyy stormed back to defeat Baker Newman, 5-7, 6-2, 6-3, tying the match at three points apiece.
Roberts secured the victory in a comeback win defeating Suresh Eswaran. The Nassau, Bahamas native took an early 4-0 lead in the third set before finally taking the match, 3-6, 6-4, 6-4.
The Bulls are back in action tomorrow at 5 P.M. with an ITA Sweet Sixteen birth on the line as they face off against No. 26 Penn State, who defeated No. 18 host Kentucky, 4-3.
For more information on the USF men's tennis team, follow @USFBullsMTennis on Twitter.
USF 4, Vanderbilt 3
Doubles:
1. No. 5 Austin/Johnson (Vandy) def. No. 6 Cid/Gozun (USF), 6-4
2. Gonzalez-Muniz/Kalyuzhnyy (USF) def. Newman/Smith (Vandy), 6-3
3. Eswaran/Valent (Vandy) vs. Pramming/Roberts (USF), 7-6 (4)
Singles:
1. No. 10 Gonzales Austin (Vandy) def. No. 19
Roberto Cid (USF), 3-6, 7-6(4), 6-4
2.
Ignacio Gonzalez-Muniz (USF) def. Kris Yee (Vandy), 5-7, 7-5, 6-3
3.
Oliver Pramming (USF) def. No. 73 Rhys Johnson (Vandy), 5-7, 6-1, 6-2
4. Danny Valent (Vandy) def.
Sasha Gozun (USF), 6-0, 6-3
5.
Vadym Kalyuzhnyy (USF) def. Baker Newman (Vandy), 5-7, 6-2, 6-3
6.
Justin Roberts (USF) def. Suresh Eswaran (Vandy), 3-6, 6-4, 6-4
