Utah Men's Tennis Nabs Historical Season-Opening Upset

Friday, January 23

Athens, Ga.

9:00 AM

University of Utah

No. 55 Elon **

Utah Men's Tennis Nabs Historical Season-Opening Upset

1/23/2015 12:00 AM | Men's Tennis

Jan. 23, 2015

Box Score

ATHENS, Ga. - The 60th-ranked University of Utah men's tennis team (1-0) became the first team in program history to advance out of the first round of the ITA Kick-Off weekend event Friday in Athens, Ga. The Utes captured a 4-3 upset over the 55th-ranked Phoenix (0-3) at the Lindsey Hopkins Indoor Facility and are now slated to take on host No. 8 Georgia Sunday, at 12 p.m. CT in the championship match.

"What a great way to start the season!" says head coach Roeland Brateanu. "We started off a little rusty, but once we settled down, we did an excellent job. I'm very proud of the way our guys competed today."

Utah battled in doubles play, but was ultimately unable to capture the point. Senior Cedric Willems and junior Matt Cowley defeated Elon's Stefan Fortmann and Brian Kowalski at the No. 1 position, 6-4, while the Utes gave up matches at the second and third doubles spots.

Sophomore Parker McGuiness quickly tied the match at one apiece when he routed Jordan Kaufman, 6-0, 6-3 at the fourth singles position. Willems then put the Utes up 2-1 with a 6-2, 6-1 victory at the No. 2 slot.

Elon battled back point-for-point as Kowalski then topped Cowley at the third spot, 7-5, 6-4, which tied the match at 2-2. The Utes pulled ahead yet again when senior Slim Hamza defeated Fortmann, 6-4, 7-6(3) at the No.1 position.

The Phoenix tied the match once again at 3-3 after freshman Freddie McGeehan dropped a 7-5, 4-6, 6-3 decision to Juan Madrid at the No. 4 spot. Freshman Santiago Sierra then fought through a tough three-set match to clinch the match deciding point for the Utes at the sixth slot. Despite falling in the first set, 6-7(8), Sierra rallied in the second and third sets, taking them 7-5, 6-3, respectively, over Neal Port.

Follow the Utes during the championship match against No. 8 Georgia Sunday at 12 p.m. CT via .

#60 Utah 4, #55 Elon 3
Singles competition
1. Slim Hamza (UTAH) def. Stefan Fortmann (ELON) 6-4, 7-6 (7-3)
2. Cedric Willems (UTAH) def. Robert Lindgren (ELON) 6-2, 6-1
3. Brian Kowalski (ELON) def. Matt Cowley (UTAH) 7-5, 6-4
4. Parker McGuiness (UTAH) def. Jordan Kaufman (ELON) 6-0, 6-3
5. Juan Madrid (ELON) def. Freddie McGeehan (UTAH) 7-5, 4-6, 6-3
6. Santiago Sierra (UTAH) def. Neal Port (ELON) 6-7 (6-8), 7-5, 6-3

Doubles competition
1. Matt Cowley/Cedric Willems (UTAH) def. Stefan Fortmann/Brian Kowalski (ELON) 6-4
2. Chris Humphreys/Jordan Kaufman(ELON) def. Slim Hamza/Freddie McGeehan(UTAH) 6-1
3. Robert Lindgren/Juan Madrid (ELON) def. Johan Jonhagen/Santiago Sierra (UTAH) 6-3
Order of finish: Doubles (2,1,3); Singles (4,2,3,1,5,6)