Wake Forest Athletics
Wake Forest University
Virginia - ACC Tournament
Deacons Fall in ACC Tournament Semifinals
4/23/2005 12:00:00 AM | Men's Tennis
April 23, 2005
Cary, N.C. - Wake Forest was closing the gap on top-seeded and second-ranked Virginia, but the Cavaliers shut the door on a Demon Deacon rally in Saturday's ACC Tournament semifinals in Cary, N.C. Virginia (23-2) won 4-0 to advance to Sunday's final.
The Deacons (16-6) fell behind 3-0 after the doubles and dropping straight set matches at No. 4 and No. 6. In fact, the only Wake Forest player to win his first set was freshman Marius Adamski at No. 5 singles.
Despite the deficit, an upset was not out of reach as Wake Forest's Todd Paul and Andrew Hamar fought back to force third sets at No. 2 and No. 3 singles. Both were leading the third set, up a break.
After losing a first set tiebreaker, Derrick Spice was up two breaks in the second set, leading 4-1, before 15th-ranked Doug Stewart won five of the final six games. That forced another tiebreaker which Stewart won to clinch the match, 7-6, 7-6. The loss snapped Spice's four-match winning streak.
Brett Ross lost his match at No. 4 singles to Treat Huey, 6-3, 6-2. It marked the first time that Ross lost back-to-back singles matches since early February. Liron Strauss fellat No. 6 to Darrin Cohen, 6-1, 7-5.
The Cavaliers, with two nationally-ranked doubles teams, rolled to easy doubles victories, both ending in 8-3 results.
The Deacons will await the announcement of the NCAA Tournament bracket on May 4. First and second rounds will be held on May 13-15.
#1 Virginia 4, #4 Wake Forest 0Doubles:#1 - Spice/Ross (WF) vs. #17 Rizza/Meythaler (VA) DNF (VA led 6-3)#2 - #47 Devvarman/Huey (VA) def. Adamski/Hamar (WF) 8-3#3 - Cohen/Stewart (VA) def. Joe Bates/Paul (WF) 8-3Order of Finish: 2, 3*
Singles:#1 - #15 Doug Stewart (VA) def. #54 Derrick Spice (WF) 7-6 (3), 7-6 (5)#2 - #51 Todd Paul (WF) vs. #26 Somdev Devvarman (VA) DNF (WF led 4-6, 6-3, 3-1)#3 - #91 Andrew Hamar (WF) def. #44 Rylan Rizza (VA) DNF (WF led 3-6, 6-3, 3-2)#4 - Ryan Young (CU) def. Brett Ross (WF) 6-3, 6-2#5 - Marius Adamski (WF) vs. #109 Marko Miklo (VA) DNF (WF led 6-3, 5-5)#6 - #68 Darrin Cohen (VA) def. Liron Strauss (WF) 6-1, 7-5Order of Finish: 4, 6, 1*
Players Mentioned
