CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – The No. 12 ranked doubles team of
Nicolas Kotzen and
Max Westphal dropped the third-place match Sunday afternoon to post a fourth-place finish in doubles at the ITA Division I Men's East Sectional Championship.
Kotzen and Westphal fell one win short of qualifying for the NCAA Championships later this month as the champion, runner-up and third place team earned spots in the doubles bracket at the NCAA Championships.
The duo of Kotzen and Westphal won their first two matches of the tournament to secure a spot in the semifinals. Kotzen and Westphal knocked off No. 28 Pedro Rodenas and Gerard Planelles Ripoll (Duke) 6-4, 3-6, [10-3] in the Round of 16. Kotzen and Westphal then cruised by Virginia Tech's Matt Harper and Alberto Orso, 6-2, 6-4 in the quarterfinals. The Wake Forest duo of Dhakshineswar Suresh and Ioannis Xilas edged past Kotzen and Westphal, 3-6, 6-3, [12-10], sending Kotzen and Westphal to the third-place match. No. 74 Patrick Schoen and Logan Zapp (North Carolina) earned a 7-5, 6-3 win in the third-place match.
Kotzen also played in the singles bracket this weekend in Chapel Hill. He dropped a three-set match to North Carolina's Chris Xu, 3-6, 6-3, 6-2 in the first round, sending him to the consolation bracket. Kotzen defeated Yanis Moundir (Old Dominion) 6-0, 6-1 in his first consolation match before losing to Noa Vukadin (Clemson) in three sets, 2-6, 6-3, [10-8].
RESULTS
Doubles
Round of 16
#12
Nicolas Kotzen/
Max Westphal (Columbia) def. #28 Pedro Rodenas/Gerard Planelles Ripoll (Duke) 6-4, 3-6, [10-3]
Quarterfinals
#12
Nicolas Kotzen/
Max Westphal (Columbia) def. Matt Harper/Alberto Orso (Virginia Tech) 6-2, 6-4
Semifinals
Dhakshineswar Suresh/Ioannis Xilas (Wake Forest) def. #12
Nicolas Kotzen/
Max Westphal (Columbia) 3-6, 6-3, [12-10]
Third-Place Match
#74 Patrick Schoen/Logan Zapp (North Carolina) def. #12
Nicolas Kotzen/
Max Westphal (Columbia) 7-5, 6-3
Singles
Round of 32
Chris Xu (North Carolina) def. #74
Nicolas Kotzen (Columbia) 3-6, 6-3, 6-2
Consolation Round of 16
#74
Nicolas Kotzen (Columbia) def. Yanis Moundir (Old Dominion) 6-0, 6-1
Consolation Quarterfinals
Noa Vukadin (Clemson) def. #74
Nicolas Kotzen (Columbia) 2-6, 6-3, [10-8]
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