March 23, 2002
MALIBU, Calif. -- The No. 31 TCU men's tennis team (8-4) pulled its first upset of the year on Saturday at the Pepperdine Shootout in Malibu, California, handing 26th-ranked Washington (13-1) its first loss of the season by a 4-3 score. The Horned Frogs will now face No. 11 Pepperdine (13-4) on Sunday in the finals of the shootout. Pepperdine dispatched of No. 33 Arizona State (7-5) 4-0 to advance to the finals.
The Frogs fell behind early by losing the doubles point for the seventh time this season. Their lone victory came at the one spot where freshman Fabrizio Sestini and junior Toni Gordon, ranked 51st nationally, grabbed an 8-3 win over Christoph Palmanshofer and Alex Vlaski.
The Huskies picked up two victories in singles at one and two with No. 84 Matt Hanlin's 3-6, 6-2, 6-4 win over Sestini and No. 39 Vlaski's 6-1, 6-4 triumph over 44th-ranked Gordon.
The bottom half of TCU's lineup proved to be stronger than the Huskies as the Frogs picked up straight set wins at four, five and six. At four, freshman Jacob Martin picked up his team-leading ninth dual match win, defeating Ari Strasberg 6-2, 7-5. Senior Daniel Wajnberg and freshman Daniel Scholten won won their 14th and 13th matches this season at five and six.
The match was ultimately decided at three singles where TCU sophomore Alex Menichini, who ranks 99th nationally, was victorious over Christoph Palmanshofer 6-2, 6-7, 6-1. Menichini is now riding a seven-match win streak, the second longest by a Horned Frog this season. Scholten has the longest with his nine wins to open the spring.
"This was a solid win for us," said TCU head coach Joey Rivé after the match. "Washington hadn't lost a match yet this year and for us to come back and win after losing the doubles shows a lot of heart. Our guys did an outstanding job today."
Singles
No. 1 #84 Matt Hanlin (UW) def. #70 Fabrizio Sestini (TCU) 3-6, 6-2, 6-4
No. 2 #39 Alex Vlaski (UW) def. #44 Toni Gordon (TCU) 6-1, 6-4
No. 3 #99 Alex Menichini (TCU) def. Christoph Palmanshofer (UW) 2-6, 7-6, 6-1
No. 4 Jacob Martin (TCU) def. Ari Strasberg (UW) 6-2, 7-5
No. 5 Daniel Wajnberg (TCU) def. Peter Scharler (UW) 6-4, 6-3
No. 6 Daniel Scholten (TCU) def. Dillon Ruby (UW) 6-4, 6-1
Doubles
No. 1 #51 Sestini/Gordon (TCU) def. Palmanshofer/Vlaski (UW) 8-3
No. 2 Hanlin/Ruby (UW) def. Menichini/Chris Brandi (TCU) 9-7
No. 3 Scharler/Strasberg (UW) def. Scholten/Martin (TCU) 8-3
