No. 68 BYU bounces back to upset No. 37 Old Dominion 4-2

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – No. 68 BYU upset No. 37 Old Dominion 4-2 at the ITA Kickoff weekend Saturday afternoon.

“That was a very good team we beat today,” BYU head coach Brad Pearce said. “And I thought it was an exceptionally clean match, with all of the players on both teams putting everything out there and making it about tennis. I credit coaches and players from both teams for making it that kind of match. I was especially pleased with our doubles play, and a two-win match for three of our players that won both their doubles and singles matches."

The Cougars (4-2) started off strong as they claimed the doubles point over the Monarchs (2-2). No. 19 doubles duo Sean Hill and Jeffrey Hsu defeated Old Dominion’s Aziz Kijamentovic and Francois Musitelli 6-3 in the No. 1 spot. Shortly after in No. 2 doubles, BYU’s Sam Tullis and Ben Gajardo earned a 6-3 victory over Luca Maldoner and Jannik Giesse.

Matthew Pearce and Mateo Vereau Melendez took Nicola Vidal and Oliver Tobisch to 5-3 before the match was suspended.

Old Dominion earned the first two singles points. Giesse topped Tullis 6-3, 6-2 in the No. 3 spot before Kijametovic earned the Monarch’s second and last point in the No. 1 spot, defeating Hill 6-4, 6-4.

BYU battled back and won its next three singles matches. In the No. 5 spot, Gajardo topped Federico Rebecchini 6-3, 7-5 and Pearce followed with a close 3-6, 6-2, 6-3 win over Tobisch at No. 6 singles.

Hsu earned the fourth and final point for BYU when he topped No. 74 Musitelli 3-6, 6-1, 6-4 in the No. 2 singles pairing, ending the dual match with a 4-2 Cougar win.

“It’s a very good sign when we have different players stepping up to clinch matches and give us significant wins,” B. Pearce added. “We’re looking forward to Utah State this Thursday in Logan.”

The Cougars will travel to Logan to face in-state rival Utah State on Thursday, Jan. 31 at 5 p.m. MDT.

MATCH RESULTS

BYU 4, ODU 2

DOUBLES RESULTS

1. Aziz Kijametovic (ODU) def. Sean Hill (BYU) 6-4, 6-4
2. Jeffrey Hsu (BYU) def. #74 Francois Musitelli (ODU) 3-6, 6-1, 6-4
3. Jannik Giesse (ODU) def. Sam Tullis (BYU) 6-3, 6-2
4. Nicola Vidal (ODU) vs. Mateo Vereau (BYU) 6-4, 3-6, 4-4, unfinished
5. Ben Gajardo (BYU) def. Federico Rebecchini (ODU) 6-3, 7-5
6. Matthew Pearce (BYU) def. Oliver Tobisch (ODU) 3-6, 6-2, 6-3

Order of finish: (1, 2)

SINGLES RESULTS

1. #19 Sean Hill/Jeffrey Hsu (BYU) def. #21 Aziz Kijametovic/Francois Musitelli (ODU) 6-3
2. Sam Tullis/Ben Gajardo (BYU) def. Luca Maldoner/Jannik Giesse (ODU) 6-3
3. Nicola Vidal/Oliver Tobisch (ODU) vs. Matthew Pearce/Mateo Vereau (BYU) 3-5, unfinished

Order of finish: (3, 1, 5, 6, 2, 4)

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