The 16th-ranked University of Louisville men's tennis team won five of six singles matches en route to a 5-2 win over host No. 37 Minnesota Friday evening at the Baseline Tennis Center. The Cards improve to 6-0 on the season.
Minnesota started the match by taking all three doubles matches by 8-5 scores. Rok Bonin and Tobias Wernet were the first to win, beating 33rd-ranked Alejandro Calligari and Robert Hall at No. 2. Phillip Arndt and Sebastian Gallego clinched the team point with a win at No. 1 over Viktor Maksimcuk and Simon Childs. Dino Bilankov and Julian Dehn finished off the sweep for the Gophers by downing Chidi Gabriel and Austen Childs at No. 3.
Two singles matches featured matchups of ranked players and both went to Louisville as 46th-ranked Austen Childs beat 55th-ranked Wernet 6-1, 6-2 at No. 1 and 84th-ranked Simon handed 67th-ranked Gallego his first loss of the spring season by a 6-4, 6-3 count.
The Cardinals also got straight-set wins from Maksimcuk over Bilankov 6-3, 6-4 at No. 4, Calligari over Dehn 6-2, 6-3 at No. 5 and Hall over Michael Sicora 6-4, 6-3 at No. 6.
"We were outplayed in doubles today," said U of L head coach Rex Ecarma. " We knew that coming into this match we would be tested in every way. They had a great crowd and atmosphere. We took our games to a very high level in singles and never looked back. This is how experienced players respond in crisis. Coach daSilva and I are very confident in this team. We want to continue to grow our momentum."
Louisville will remain in Minneapolis and meet St. Mary's on Saturday at 1 p.m. at the Baseline Tennis Center.
#16 Louisville 5, #37 Minnesota 2
Singles
1. #46 Austen Childs (LOU) def. #55 Tobias Wernet (MINN) 6-1, 6-2
2. #84 Simon Childs (LOU) def. #67 Sebastian Gallego (MINN) 6-4, 6-3
3. Rok Bonin (MINN) def. #81 Andrew Carter (LOU) 6-4, 6-4
4. Viktor Maksimcuk (LOU) def. Dino Bilankov (MINN) 6-3, 6-4
5. Alejandro Calligari (LOU) def. Julian Dehn (MINN) 6-2, 6-3
6. Robert Hall (LOU) def. Michael Sicora (MINN) 6-4, 6-3
Doubles
1. Phillip Arndt/Sebastian Gallego (MINN) def. Simon Childs/Viktor Maksimcuk (LOU) 8-5
2. Tobias Wernet/Rok Bonin (MINN) def. #33 Alejandro Calligari/Robert Hall (LOU) 8-5
3. Dino Bilankov/Julian Dehn (MINN) def. Chidi Gabriel/Austen Childs (LOU) 8-5
Match Notes:
Louisville 6-0; National ranking #16
Minnesota 1-3; National ranking #37
Order of finish: Doubles (2,1,3); Singles (2,6,1,3,4,5)
