OU Outlasts Illini in Consolation Semis

No. 12 Illinois

No. 5 Oklahoma

Results

2015 Stats

Draw Sheet

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Playing in the back draw of the 2016 ITA National Indoor Championship, the fifth-ranked Oklahoma men's tennis team outlasted No. 12 Illinois on Sunday, winning 4-2 at the Boar's Head Sport Club in Charlottesville, Va.

The Sooners (5-3) took the doubles point to lead 1-0 early and then jumped ahead 3-1 after the first three singles matches finished. Illinois (5-3) would make a comeback, winning the next match to make it 3-2 and then forcing third sets on the remaining two courts, but the Sooners held on to win 4-2.

In doubles both teams traded breaks early but midway through the matches all three courts were on serve. The Sooners took the first win of the day with a tiebreaker-victory from senior Axel Alvarez and sophomore Spencer Papa. The Sooner duo, ranked No. 57, cruised in the extra frame, winning 7-1 over Aleks Vukic and Aron Hiltzik.

With the match at number one doubles headed to a breaker, senior Austin Siegel and freshman Andre Biro led Julian Childers and Brian Page 6-5 at number three with Illinois back to serve. The Sooners stole the Illini's service game and clinched the doubles point for OU with a 7-5 win. Siegel and Biro are unbeaten as a pairing with four wins so far this year.

Oklahoma was strong early in singles, winning four of the six first sets and giving up just five games in those frames, but Illinois took the first match off with Alvarez falling at the top spot to No. 12 Vukic.

Freshman Maxime Mora broke the one-all tie with a win at number five singles. Mora dominated Page 6-0 in the first set and then cruised to the win with a 6-3 mark in the second. The freshman improves to 5-1 in dual play this season.

Playing against Childers at number four singles, junior Florin Bragusi jumped out to a big 6-1 win in the first set, and then won the second in a tiebreaker to take the match and put OU up 3-1 and just one point from the win.

Illinois would not go quietly, claiming momentum with a win at number two singles and then forcing third sets at the three and six spots.

The Illini broke Oklahoma in the first game on both courts, but OU would rally and break back in each match.

Playing at number six singles, Biro had won the first set against Asher Hirsch 6-0, but dropped the second in a breaker. In the third, after his early break back, the freshman broke Hirsch's serve to take a 5-3 lead. The final game of the match went to 40-40 before Biro used a volley to set up an overhead slam to take the win and clinch the dual for Oklahoma. Ghilea's match at number three singles was not finished.

The Sooners finish the weekend at 2-1 with a pair of top-20 wins. Oklahoma will be back in action next weekend as they travel to Tulsa, Okla., to take on the 31^st-ranked Golden Hurricane at 5 p.m. CT. The match will give OU an early look at the host site of the 2016 NCAA Championships.

For more information on Oklahoma Men's Tennis, follow the team on Twitter at @OU_MTennis.

RESULTS

DOUBLES

1. ^#37Harris/Ghilea vs. Jesse/Hiltzik - 6-6, unfinished
2. ^#57Alvarez/Papa def. Vukic/Hiltzik - 7-6
3. Biro/Siegel def. Childers/Page - 7-5

Order of finish: 2,3

SINGLES

1. ^#12Aleks Vukic def. ^#60Axel Alvarez - 6-3, 6-0
2. ^#10Jared Hiltzik def. Spencer Papa - 7-6, 7-6

3. ^#85Alex Ghilea vs. ^#69Aron Hiltzik - 6-4, 5-7, 4-5 unfinished

4. Florin Bragusi def Julian Childers - 6-1, 7-6

5. Maxime Mora def. Brian Page - 6-0, 6-3

6. Andre Biro def. Asher Hirsch - 6-0, 6-7, 6-3

Order of finish: 1, 5, 4, 2, 6