Men’s Tennis: No. 6 Virginia blanks Georgia Tech to advance to ITA Indoors

Courtesy UVA Media Relations

The No. 6 Virginia men’s tennis team (5-0) picked up a 4-0 victory against Georgia Tech (3-1) on Sunday (Jan. 30) in the final of ITA Kickoff Weekend matches at the Boar’s Head Sports Club.

The victory earns the team an invitation to the 47th Annual ITA National Team Indoor Championships, being held Feb. 18-21 in Seattle, Wash.

Senior Ryan Goetz clinched the victory for the Cavaliers with a straight-set win on court five.

In doubles, the teams split 6-2 decisions on courts two and three Goetz and Iñaki Montes coming out ahead on court two, leaving the point to be decided on the top court. Senior William Woodall and sophomore Chris Rodesch edged the No. 3-ranked team of Andres Martin and Marcus McDaniel 6-4 to win the point for the Cavaliers.

Virginia won four of six first sets in singles. Rodesch, who had dropped his first set against Martin 6-3, had picked up a 6-3 win in the second set to force a decider against the No. 9-ranked singles player. Their third set did not have a chance to begin as three of Rodesch’s teammates closed out straight-set wins to give UVA the victory.

Fifth-year senior Gianni Ross and sophomore Jeffrey von der Schulenburg won on their respective courts within a minute of one another. Ross topped Angel Guerrero 6-2, 6-2 on court six while von der Schulneburg won 6-4, 6-0 against Chen Dong on four. Goetz finished off a 6-2, 6-2 victory against Pablo Schlecher to give UVA the 4-0 victory.

Head coach Andres Pedroso

“We knew Georgia Tech was gonna be tough. We had a really tough battle last year with them at the ACC Championship so we knew they were coming with everything they had. The guys were ready. You could tell in doubles. You could tell in singles. They went on their runs in doubles and we just hung in there and stay composed. We’ve talked a lot about that just staying composed throughout the match. And it paid off.

“I think Georgia Tech is gonna have a deep run in the ACC so it’s good to face them now, to see what they have and see how we matchup against them.”

Notes

• Virginia has only failed to advance out of ITA Kickoff Weekend twice in the 14 years of the tournament
• The National Team Indoor Championship features 15 schools that have advanced by winning their respective ITA Kickoff Weekend regionals and host-school Washington
• The Cavaliers have won six ITA National Team Indoor Championships, including four-straight from 2008 to 2011 and most recently in 2017 when the tournament was held in Charlottesville

#6 Virginia 4, Georgia Tech 0

Singles competition

1. #13 Chris Rodesch (VA) vs. #9 Andres Martin (GT) 3-6, 6-3, unfinished
2. #52 Inaki Montes (VA) vs. Keshav Chopra (GT) 6-3, 4-4, unfinished
3. #71 Bar Botzer (VA) vs. Marcus McDaniel (GT) 3-6, 4-4, unfinished
4. #66 J vd Schulenburg (VA) def. Chen Dong (GT) 6-4, 6-0
5. #27 Ryan Goetz (VA) def. Pablo Schlecher (GT) 6-2, 6-2
6. Gianni Ross (VA) def. Angel Guerrero (GT) 6-2, 6-2

Doubles competition

1. Chris Rodesch/William Woodall (VA) def. #3 Andres Martin/Marcus McDaniel (GT) 6-4
2. Inaki Montes/Ryan Goetz (VA) def. Keshav Chopra/Pablo Schlecher (GT) 6-2
3. Chen Dong/Angel Guerrero (GT) def. Bar Botzer/J vd Schulenburg (VA) 6-2

Order of finish: Doubles (2,3,1); Singles (6,4,5)
A-136