Columbia
California
2/14/2015 10:17:00 PM | Men's Tennis
CHICAGO – The 15th-ranked Columbia men's tennis team's fate came down to the final point for the third time this season and off the racquet of Winston Lin the Lions prevailed, 4-3, over the 12th-ranked Bears of California in the consolation draw at the 2015 ITA Men's Team National Indoor Championship.
In a season that the Lions (3-1) have already rewritten the history books, they continued to do so Saturday night inside the Midtown Athletic Club as the win over the 12th-ranked Bears marks the program's highest ranked opponent defeat after taking down then-No. 14 Notre Dame, 4-3, in the ITA Kick-Off Championship two weeks ago.
For the first time this year, Columbia captured the doubles point to take the early advantage headed into singles. Bert Vancura and Dragos Ignat got things going early as they took a 3-0 lead over Filip Bergebi and Mads Engsted. Cal's duo inched back, 3-2, but Vancura and Ignat put the match away with the same way they started it, with three straight points to take a 6-2 victory. Moments later Max Schnur and Ashok Narayana were one game away from sweeping the 30th-ranked pair of Gregory Bayane and Chase Melton. The 12th-ranked seniors did not let up as they scored the point to sweep the 30th-ranked pair, 6-0.
Columbia built a 1-0 lead in just 20 minutes to head into singles with momentum on its side.
California broke up the Lions momentum as it went game-for-game on nearly every court in the first set.
It was Narayana who put the first singles set of the match away with a 6-3 decision over JT Nishimura on the fourth court. While Narayana and the rest of the Lions were battling, Dragos Ignat was clinching to stay alive in the second position versus Bergevi. The 76th-ranked player clashed with the 114th-ranked player, and dropped the first set, 6-3. Ignat and Bergevi traded points in the second set, before Bergevi coupled back-to-back points together to hold a 5-3 lead. Ignat would not go down without a fight, however, as the junior took the next game to make it a 5-4 set. The point would not be enough as Bergevi scored game point to put Cal on the scoreboard.
On the third court, Schnur hung tough with Billy Griffith, but fell, 6-4, 7-5. California led for less than a minute before Schnur's doubles partner, Narayana, captured a victory in the fourth slot. With the first set already in the books in favor of Narayana, the Houston, Texas, local, fell behind, 3-0 early in the second. Narayana worked his way back game-by-game and leveled the set, 4-4. He went on to win the next two points to take the match, 6-3, 6-4, and even the contest at 2-2.
Shawn Hadavi cruised to a 6-2 first set triumph over Bayane on the sixth court. The same could not be said for the ensuing set as the sophomore was swept, 6-0. Bayane carried the second set momentum into the third as Hadavi fell, 6-2, and Cal took a 3-2 edge.
With the match on the line fans split up to show support for Vancura on the fifth court and Lin on the first court.
Vancura's match was lengthy and every point counted. The senior took the first set over Wikberg in a tiebreaker, 7-6(4). In the second set, Vancura was behind 6-5, before he coupled two consecutive games to take the set, 7-5, and deadlock the match at 3-3.
The fan and the Lions circled around court 1 as No. 13 Lin was in the third and match deciding set versus No. 42 Andre Goransson. Lin fell in the first set, 7-5, but soared to a second set 6-3 win. With the match riding on Lin's shoulders the senior showed composure and put the set and match away 6-3.
Columbia concludes action at the national indoor championship tomorrow at 4:30 p.m. EST against Texas.
RESULTS
Doubles
1 – No. 12 Max Schnur/Ashok Narayana (Columbia) defeated No. 30 Gregory Bayane/Chase Melton (CAL), 6-0
2 – Mike Vermeer/Winston Lin (Columbia) vs. No. 32 Andrew Goransson/Oskar Wikberg (CAL) DNF, 3-3
3 – Bert Vancura/Dragos Ignat (Columbia) defeated Filip Bergevi/Mads Engsted (CAL), 6-2
Singles
1 – No. 13 Winston Lin (Columbia) vs. No. 42 Andre Goransson (CAL), 5-7, 6-3, 6-3
2 – No. 114 Filip Bergevi (CAL) defeated No. 76 Dragos Ignat (Columbia)6-3, 6-4
3 – Billy Griffith (CAL) defeated Max Schnur (Columbia) 6-4, 7-5
4 – Ashok Narayana (Columbia) defeated JT Nishimura (CAL) 6-3, 6-4
5 – Bert Vancura (Columbia) vs. Oskar Wikberg (CAL), 7-6(7-4), 7-5
6 – Gregory Bayane (CAL) defeated Shawn Hadavi (Columbia) 2-6, 6-0, 6-2
Order of Finish: (D) 3, 1 (S) 2, 3, 4, 6, 5, 1
