Sooners Down No. 25 NC State To Advance

Saturday, May 6

Athens, GA

9 a.m.

University of Oklahoma

NC State

Sooners Down No. 25 NC State To Advance

May 06, 2023 | Men's Tennis

OU 4, NCSU 2

ATHENS, Ga. - The Oklahoma men's tennis team took down NC State 4-2 in the first round of the NCAA tournament on Saturday afternoon.

The match opened with a clinched doubles point for the Wolfpack. NC State's Braden Shick and Fons Van Sambeek defeated Jordan Hasson and Siphos Montsi 6-3 on court three. OU's Alex Martinez and Justin Schlageter also fell 6-2 to No. 11 Robin Catry and Luca Staeheli on court two to secure the opening point.

Baptiste Anselmo and Nathan Han were up 4-2 on No. 13 Rafa Izquierdo Luque and Joseph Wayand at the top court when the point was clinched.

"Today was another great match by our squad," said OU head coach Nick Crowell. "The team came back very strong ater losing the doubles point and really picked up momentum as the match went longer. Our team was strong emotionally and physically throughout and that was the key today."

OU came out with strong leads in singles and kept the pace through its matches. First to finish was No. 111 Schlageter on court four over Shick, 6-3, 6-2. Hasson followed it up with a 6-2, 7-6 (5) against Robin Catry at the No. 2 spot to take the lead. Fons Van Sambeek took court five 6-3, 6-4 over Han to tie it up.

Luis Alvarez notched another point for the Sooners on court six after defeating Wayand 7-5, 6-4. To clinch the match and send OU to the second round, No. 90 Montsi claimed court three 7-5, 3-6, 6-3 over Damien Salvestre.

When play was halted, No. 99 Martinez was up 2-6, 6-3, 6-5 on No. 89 Staeheli at the top court.

"We're gearing up for another one tomorrow and ready to battle again," said Crowell.