Wake Forest University
USC
Top-Ranked Deacs Top No. 11 USC, 4-1
3/18/2018 12:00:00 AM | Men's Tennis
By Wake Forest Athletic Communications (@WakeMTennis)
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – The top-ranked Wake Forest men's tennis team improved to 11-0 on the year with a 4-1 victory over No. 11 USC Sunday afternoon at the Wake Forest tennis complex.
Sunday's victory was the second 4-1 victory Wake Forest has had over the Trojans (11-5, 2-0 Pac-12) this year, as the Deacs topped USC in the second round of the ITA National Team Indoor Championship last month.
Skander Mansouri clinched the match for the Deacs with a thrilling three-set victory at No. 3 singles. After dropping the first set, Mansouri, ranked 38th nationally, rallied for a 6-3 victory in the second set. Mansouri then found himself down 4-1 in the decisive third set before rallying back to win the next five games to clinch the 6-4 victory.
Wake Forest also picked up singles victories by Petros Chrysochos and Alan Gadjiev, who won within moments of each other to push the Wake Forest advantage to 3-0 early in singles play. Gadjiev claimed a 6-2, 6-4 victory in the No. 6 spot moments before No. 8 Chrysochos won 6-2, 6-3 at No. 2 singles. USC followed by picking up its lone point at the No. 4 position, setting up Mansouri's clinching match.
The Deacs took a 1-0 lead into singles play following doubles victories on the first and third court to secure the doubles point. Gadjiev and Borna Gojo won 6-4 in the third spot before Chrysochos and Mansouri, ranked fifth nationally, topped the No. 52 duo of Jack Jaede and Laurens Verboven, 7-5.
The Deacs are in the middle of a stretch of four matches in six days and will return to action to Tuesday, March 20, when No. 7 Illinois comes to town. First serve is set for 4 p.m.
#1 Wake Forest 4, #11 USC 1
Singles Results
1. #26 Borna Gojo (WF) vs. Jack Jaede (USC), 6-7(7), 6-4, unfinished
2. #8 Petros Chrysochos (WF) def. Laurens Verboven (USC), 6-2, 6-3
3. #38 Skander Mansouri (WF) def. Riley Smith (USC), 3-6, 6-3, 6-4
4. Jake DeVine (USC) def. Rrezart Cungu (WF), 7-6(5), 6-4
5. Julian Zlobinsky (WF) vs. Logan Smith (USC), 6-4, 5-7, 2-2, unfinished
6. Alan Gadjiev (WF) def. Tanner Smith (USC), 6-2, 6-4
Order of Finish: 6,2,4,3
Doubles Results
1. #5 Chrysochos/Mansouri (WF) def. #52 Jaede/Verboven (USC), 7-5
2. Dempster/Seraphim (WF) vs. Forget/R. Smith (USC), 6-5, unfinished
3. Gadjiev/Gojo (WF) def. T. Smith/Smolicki (USC), 6-4
Order of Finish: 3,1
Players Mentioned
