March 8, 2004
TEMPE, Ariz.
The fifth-rated TCU men's tennis squad claimed the Arizona State Quadrangle title Monday by defeating No. 18 Pepperdine 4-0 at the Whiteman Tennis Center in Tempe. The Horned Frogs' 11-0 record ties the school record for the best start with the 1981 team. The Waves dropped to 8-5 with the loss. It was only TCU's fourth victory against Pepperdine in 16 tries.
"Today was a battle," TCU head coach Joey Rivé said. "We fought hard out there. I was proud of the way everyone competed and the effort that was given. It was a great match and a lot closer than the 4-0 score made it look."
After losing the doubles point for the first time yesterday to No. 28 Washington, the Horned Frogs grinded out a couple of wins at Nos. 2 and 3 for the early 1-0 lead. Jacob Martin and Alex Menichini improved to 10-0 on the season at three doubles by defeating Kevin Borzenski and Richard Johnson, 8-2. Martin and Menichini are 11-0 overall. Hector Almada and Jacopo Tezza clinched the win by stunning the 16th-ranked duo of Scott Doerner and Alexandre Herrera at two by an 8-5 count. The No. 1 spot belonged to the Waves' Calle Hansen and Pedro Rico, who are ranked No. 11. They defeated TCU's 10th-rated tandem of Rafael Abreu and Fabrizio Sestini, 8-4.
Tezza provided TCU's first victory in singles by downing Doerner at the No. 4 slot by scores of 6-4, 6-3 to run his record on the year to 19-6. He is also 9-1 in dual matches. Sestini continued his outstanding singles play by taking out Herrera in staight sets, 7-6, 6-4, for his seventh win in a row. He is now 10-1 in duals and 16-5 overall. The clincher was provided by Martin at six singles, where he needed three sets to dispose of Johnson, 5-7, 6-1, 6-2.
TCU will travel to Oklahoma March 13 to face No. 54 Tulsa at 1 p.m. The Horned Frogs return home March 17 to face the No. 32-ranked Miami Hurricanes at noon.
#5 TCU (11-0) 4, #18 Pepperdine (8-5) 0
SINGLES
1. #22 Alex Menichini (TCU) vs. #38 Pedro Rico (PU) DNF
2. Hector Almada (TCU) vs. #82 Calle Hansen (PU) DNF
3. Fabrizio Sestini (TCU) def. Alexandre Herrera (PU) 7-6, 6-4
4. Jacopo Tezza (TCU) def. Scott Doerner (PU) 6-4, 6-3
5. Rafael Abreu (TCU) vs. Alexis Rafidison (PU) DNF
6. Jacob Martin (TCU) def. Richard Johnson (PU) 5-7, 6-1, 6-2
Order of Finish: 4, 3, 6*
DOUBLES
1. #11 Hansen/Rico (PU) def. #10 Abreu/Sestini (TCU) 8-4
2. Almada/Tezza (TCU) def. #16 Doerner/Herrera (PU) 8-5
3. Martin/Menichini (TCU) def. Kevin Borzenski/Johnson (PU) 8-2
Order of Finish: 3, 2*, 1
* Clinching point
