Bulls Fight off FGCU for Win in Season Opener
TAMPA, JAN. 19, 2019– USF defeated FGCU, 5-2, in the Bulls' season opener on Saturday at the USF Varsity Tennis Courts.
USF trailed 1-0 leading into singles action, but No. 43 in the nation Alberto Barroso-Campos (Montijo, Spain) earned USF's first point of the match, defeating FGCU's Juan Montes 6-0, 6-3 in the top spot. FGCU gained a 2-1 lead when Jakub Wojcik (Delray Beach, Fla.) fell to Feliksas Sakalauskas on court four, 7-5, 6-0.
The Bull's momentum picked up when freshman Ivan Yatsuk (Minsk, Belarus) defeated FGCU's Marcelo Tebet 7-5, 6-3 on court five and continued with Sergio Gomez Montesa (Valencia, Spain) winning his match 7-5, 6-2 on court six, pulling the Bulls by a team score of 3-2.
Sophomore Pierre Luquet (Draguignan, France) clinched the match after an electric second set, the final score 7-5, 6-3 against FGCU's Enrique Cerrini on court three.
Freshman Chase Ferguson (Melbourne, Australia) picked up the last point for the Bulls when he won in three sets on court two, 1-6, 7-6(9), 6-4
In doubles, Alberto Barroso-Campos and Jakub Wojcik picked up an impressive 6-4 win against Eagles Mateo Ruiz and Felipe Escobar. FGCU's Marcelo Tebet and Enrique Cerrini defeated Chase Ferguson and Pierre Luquet on court two, 6-4. Feliksas Sakalauskas and Juan Montes picked up the remaining doubles court against Sean Burnette and IvanYatsuk on court three, 6-4.
Quotable
Head coach Ashley Fisher on the win…
"What was really nice was we were able to win without playing our best tennis. The tennis will come, and we'll get better as the season goes along. I'd much prefer to have the competitiveness and the problem-solving ability, which the team was able to show collectively today when we got a win after losing the doubles point"
Results
Singles:
1. No. 43 Barroso-Camp (USF) def. Montes (FGCU) 6-0, 6-3
2. Ferguson (USF) def. Escobar (FGCU) 1-6, 7-6 (11-9), 6-4
3. Luquet (USF) def. Cerrini (FGCU) 7-5, 6-3
4. Sakalauskas (FGCU) def. Wojcik (USF) 7-5, 6-0
5. Yatsuk (USF) def. Tebet (FGCU) 7-5, 6-3
6. Montesa (USF) def. Fernandez (FGCU) 7-5, 6-2
Doubles:
1. Barroso-Camp/Wojcik (USF) def. Escobar/Ruiz (FGCU) 6-4
2. Tebet/Cerinni (FGCU) def. Ferguson/Luquet (USF) 6-4
3. Sakalauskas/Montes (FGCU) def. Burnette/Yatsuk (USF) 6-4
Up Next
The Bulls travel to Baton Rouge, La. for the Jerry Simmons Invitational. Hosted by LSU, match times are to be determined.
