Rice University
Texas A&M Corpus Christi
Owls Blank Islanders
3/20/2011 12:00:00 AM | Men's Tennis
March 20, 2011
The Rice men's tennis team ran its record to 12-4 on the season by blanking Texas A&M Corpus Christi, 4-0, in the final match of the 53rd Rice Invitational on Sunday afternoon at Jake Hess Tennis Stadium.
The Owls and Islanders had to delay the start of their match by over two hours due to the length of the Rice-TCU women's match, and once the two teams hit the court, it appeared they were prepped for a lengthy battle of their own.
After Rice struck first when Sam Garforth-Bles and Christian Saravia won their match at No. 3 doubles, 8-3, the two teams fought to the wire for the first point of the match. Harry Fowler and Oscar Podlewski finally outlasted the Islanders' duo of Gergo Weidinger and Laurent Montoisy, 9-8, taking the decisive tiebreaker 8-6. The match at No. 2 was tied at 8-8 and headed for a tiebreaker as well before the Owls carved out the clinch.
The singles portion of the match was no less heated. Even thought the Owls captured the first set in all six singles matchups, the match, the clinching fourth point did not come until the match had nearly reached the three hour mark.
Junior Michael Nuesslein gave Rice its second point with a straight set win at No. 5 and he was followed by Christian Saravia, who won in straight sets at No. 4. That left it to senior Oscar Podlewski to close out his second match in as many days, and he delivered with a 6-2, 6-2 win at No. 2.
The Owls will be back on the Jake Hess courts on Saturday when they host TCU at 11 a.m.
Tennis Match Results
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi vs Rice
3/20/2011 at Houston, TX
(Jake Hess Tennis Stadium)
#41 Rice 4, #60 Texas A&M-Corpus Christi 0
Singles competition
1. #87 Harry Fowler (RICE) vs. Laurent Montoisy (AMCC) 6-2, 5-4, unfinished
2. Oscar Podlewski (RICE) def. James Langford (AMCC) 6-2, 6-2
3. Sam Garforth-Bles (RICE) vs. Aurelien Tave (AMCC) 7-5, 3-2, unfinished
4. Christian Saravia (RICE) def. Robert Raguz (AMCC) 6-3, 6-4
5. Michael Nuesslein (RICE) def. Matt Westmoreland (AMCC) 6-1, 6-2
6. Jonathan Chang (RICE) vs. Nathan Robinson (AMCC) 7-5, 2-1, unfinished
Doubles competition
1. Harry Fowler/Oscar Podlewski (RICE) def. Gergo Weidinger/Laurent Montoisy (AMCC) 9-8 (8-6)
2. Michael Nuesslein/Philipp Seifert (RICE) vs. Aurelien Tave/James Langford (AMCC) 8-8, unfinished
3. Sam Garforth-Bles/Christian Saravia (RICE) def. Matt Westmoreland/Robert Raguz (AMCC) 8-3
Match Notes:
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi 9-9; National ranking #60
Rice 12-4; National ranking #41
Order of finish: Doubles (3,1); Singles (5,4,2)
53rd Rice Invitational
Players Mentioned
