UCLA
San Diego
UCLA Tops USD for Round of 16 Berth
May 13, 2018 | Men's Tennis
LOS ANGELES – The second-seeded UCLA men's tennis team will participate in a 42nd consecutive NCAA Championships Round of 16 after defeating San Diego, 4-0, Sunday at Los Angeles Tennis Center. The sweep marked the Bruins' second in as many days at the Los Angeles Regional. The win sets up a Friday, May 18 match versus 15th-seeded Michigan. First serve from the Wake Forest Tennis Complex in Winston-Salem, N.C. is set for 6 a.m. (PT).
UCLA will head to Winston-Salem, N.C. to face @umichtennis in the #NCAATennis Round of 16 on Friday, May 18 (9 a.m., ET).#GoBruins pic.twitter.com/fpTJfZU4y6
— UCLA Men's Tennis (@uclatennis) May 13, 2018
The Bruins played come-from-behind on the doubles courts Sunday before running off three consecutive straight-set victories in singles play to secure the win. Junior Maxime Cressy clinched the win on court 5. The victory also completed a 16-0 home campaign for UCLA.
With the red-hot Bruin pair of Martin Redlicki-Evan Zhu off to a slow start on the top court, courts two and three picked it up to give UCLA an advantage throughout doubles play. The tandem of Nico Borter-Gui Osorio briefly gave USD the edge, blanking the Bruins' No. 29-ranked pair and winners of six straight heading into Sunday. UCLA's No. 16 pair of Austin Rapp-Keegan Smith was close behind, though, dispatching No. 80 August Holmgren-Joel Gamerov, 6-2, on court 2. The win marked the pair's third in four postseason opportunities.
That left it up to court three, where UCLA's Maxime Cressy-Bryce Pereira squared off with David Norfeldt-Alexandros Araouzos. The Bruin duo received some pushback from the Torero tandem, but maintained an edge throughout before pulling away when the pressure was on. Cressy-Pereira moved to 19-7 (18-5 in dual matches) on the season with its 6-3 triumph.
In the lone ranked matchup of the day, No. 1 Redlicki rebounded from the earlier doubles loss against No. 60 Holmgren of the Toreros. A dominant first set gave Redlicki all the momentum he needed in the final LATC match of his career, as the senior cruised to a 6-1, 6-4 victory and the day's second point. The Boca Raton, Fla. native holds a 108-30 singles record, as well as an 85-28 doubles mark in his Bruin career.
No. 56-ranked Bruin freshman Smith continued his stellar debut campaign on court three, where he turned a corner in the second set to defeat Borter. The USD sophomore turned in a strong first set versus Smith, who grew up near the Torero campus, but was unable to win a game in the second. Smith tallied a 6-4, 6-0 victory to inch the Bruins closer to their Winston-Salem trip.
Cressy completed the Bruins' latest postseason goal, topping Norfeldt by a 6-3, 6-3 score to wrap up the perfect home record and send UCLA to Winston-Salem. Cressy, who used a backhand return to stop Norfeldt in his tracks, has won eight matches in as many decisions.
Cressy with the clincher!
— UCLA Men's Tennis (@uclatennis) May 13, 2018
The Bruins are on to the #NCAATennis Round of 16.#GoBruins pic.twitter.com/A61ABY3i9o
In Michigan, the Bruins will face another team that notched a pair of 4-0 wins at its home Regional. The Wolverines defeated Notre Dame Sunday to secure their first Round of 16 berth since 2008.
Team Stats
#1 Doubles Match
#2 Doubles Match
#3 Doubles Match
Order of Finish:
1,2,3
#1 Singles Match
#2 Singles Match
#3 Singles Match
#4 Singles Match
#5 Singles Match
#6 Singles Match
Order of Finish:
1,3,5
Players Mentioned
