April 6, 2011

CHICAGO- The UIC men's tennis team won the doubles point, and took the last four singles spot to secure a 5-2 win over Olivet Nazarene University on Wednesday afternoon.

"It was nice to be home at UIC finally for the first time this season," said head coach Hans Neufeld. "It was good preparation for Friday's conference match versus Valparaiso."

UIC (5-11, 2-2 Horizon League) took the doubles point from the visitors going into singles play. At the No. 2 doubles position, senior Luiz Gonzaga and sophomore Rahul Kamath defeated ONU's Sebastian Esquentini and Diego Gonsalvez, 8-6. To clinch the doubles point for the Flames, senior Alex Marginean and freshman Alexander Raa defeated ONU's Hugo Moriya and Josue Sanchez in a tight one, 9-7.

Gonzaga set the tone for the Flames in singles play, as he took the match to ONU's Gonsalvez at the No. 3 spot, 6-1, 6-1. Gautham Oroskar secured his second collegiate win over ONU's Sanchez in straight sets, 6-1, 6-2. Senior Dave Robare recorded the match winner as he defeated ONU's Moriya in convincing fashion, 6-3, 6-3. Freshman James Li capped off the afternoon with a victory over ONU's Landon Williams in three sets, 4-6, 6-3, 6-2.

The Flames will conclude this weekend on Friday, April 8, when the visitors of Valparaiso University travel to the Flames Tennis Courts for Senior Day, beginning at 3 p.m.

UIC 5, ONU 2
Singles:
1. Julian Kurz (ONU) def. Alexander Raa (UIC), 6-4, 6-4
2. Sebastian Esquentini (ONU) def. Nate Kirk (UIC), 7-6 (2), 6-3
3. Luiz Gonzaga (UIC) def. Diego Gonsalvez (ONU), 6-1, 6-1
4. James Li (UIC) def. Landon Williams (ONU), 4-6,6-3,6-2
5. Dave Robare (UIC) def. Hugo Moriya (ONU), 6-3,6-3
6. Gautham Oroskar (UIC) def. Josue Sanchez (ONU), 6-1, 6-2

Doubles:
1. Robare/Shepardson (UIC) vs. Kurz/Wiliams (ONU), DNF 2-4
2. Gonzaga/Kamath (UIC) def. Esquentini/Gonsalvez (ONU), 8-6
3. Raa/Marginean (UIC) def. Moriya/Sanchez (ONU), 9-7

Order of Finish
Singles: 3, 6, 5, 1, 2, 4
Doubles: 2, 3, 1