Third Sets Don’t Go Dawgs’ Way In Loss

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Washington played a terrific doubles point to take an early lead, but South Florida rallied back to post a 4-1 win on the courts of the Tennessee Volunteers in Knoxville this morning, ending ITA Kickoff Weekend for the Dawgs. Five out of the six singles matches went three sets, but USF won all three that reached completion, with the last two both even late when the match was clinched.
 
The Huskies fall to 2-2 and will remain on the road next week in Big Ten country, visiting Wisconsin and Michigan.
 
UW was ready to go despite a second-straight early start time, at 9 a.m. local time and 6 a.m. Pacific. Han-Chih Lin and Brett Pearson had a breakfast bagel at third doubles, 6-0, over Hudson/Frizelle. Then 12th-ranked Dzianis Zharyn and Cesar Bouchelaghem took down the nation’s 9th-ranked duo, Tudorica/Grevelius, 6-2, to clinch the point.
 
In singles, USF took the momentum by winning five of the six first sets. But UW answered on four of those courts with second set wins. The only straight set match was a 6-3, 6-2 win for USF’s Elijah Cham at No. 6 over Pearson that tied the dual.
 
The first three setter to finish went to the Bulls. Bruno Oliveira topped Lin at No. 3, 6-4, 1-6, 6-3. Zharyn, at No. 1 singles, was the one Dawg to take the first set, 6-4, over 27th-ranked Alvin Tudorica, but Tudorica came back with a 6-4 second set win, and took the third set, 7-5, for a pivotal point that put USF one match away.
 
The final three matches were all on serve late in the final sets. But USF’s Tom Pavlekovich-Smith won a deciding point on Nedim Suko’s serve up 5-4 at No. 4 singles to provide the clincher. At that moment, Bouchelaghem was one point away from forcing a third set tiebreaker at No. 2 singles, and freshman Ivan Sodan was at 5-5 in his third set at No. 5 singles.
 
 
Washington Men’s Tennis
ITA Kickoff Weekend, Consolation Match
January 28, 2024
Knoxville, Tenn. | Goodfriend Tennis Center 
 
Washington – 1
South Florida – 4
 
Singles
1. (#27) Alvin Tudorica (USF) def. Dzianis Zharyn (UW) – 4-6, 6-4, 7-5
2. Cesar Bouchelaghem (UW) vs. Erik Grevelius (USF) – 5-7, 6-4, 5-6, DNF
3. Bruno Oliveira (USF) def. Han-Chih Lin (UW) – 6-4, 1-6, 6-3
4. Tom Pavlekovich-Smith (USF) def. Nedim Suko (UW) – 6-4, 5-7, 6-4
5. Ivan Sodan (UW) vs. Tom Pisane (USF) – 3-6, 6-3, 5-5, DNF
6. Elijah Cham (USF) def. Brett Pearson (UW) – 6-3, 6-2
Order of Finish: 6, 3, 1, 4
 
Doubles
1. (#12) Zharyn/Bouchelaghem (UW)…