Men’s tennis: #1 Virginia sweeps Elon, Furman

The No. 1 Virginia men’s tennis team (4-0) won a pair of matches on Saturday (Feb. 6) sweeping Elon and Furman by 7-0 scores at the Boyd Tinsley Courts at the Boar’s Head Sports Center in Charlottesville, Va.

“We played really disciplined and focused tennis throughout the entire day and I couldn’t be more pleased with the team as a whole,” said Virginia head coach Brian Boland. “I am very happy with where we are at and feel today was a really positive step in the right direction as we prepare to play a touch UCLA team on Tuesday. We just need to look at each day as another opportunity to get better.”

In the noon match against Elon (2-3), senior Jonathan Cornish (London, England) and redshirt junior Harrison Richmond (Pawley’s Island, S.C.) started the afternoon with a quick 6-1 victory at No. 3 doubles. Senior Ryan Shane (Falls Church, Va.) and junior Luca Corinteli (Alexandria, Va.) clinched the point with a 6-2 victory at No. 1. Junior Thai-Son Kwiatkowski (Charlotte, N.C.) and senior Mac Styslinger (Birmingham, Ala.) battled for a 6-4 victory at No. 2 to finish the doubles sweep.

In singles action against the Phoenix, Kwiatkowski downed Robert Lindgren 6-1, 6-1 at No. 3 followed by a 6-2, 6-1 victory by Styslinger over Salvador Mijares at No. 5. Junior J.C. Aragone (Yorba Linda, Calif.) clinched the match victory with a 6-2, 6-3 win at No. 4 over Petar Tomic. Richmond won 6-1, 6-3 over Chris Humphreys at No. 6 followed by a 6-3, 6-3 victory by sophomore Collin Altamirano (Sacramento, Calif.) at No. 2.

Shane dropped his first set 7-6 and found himself in a 5-2 hole in the second set against Mario Paccini before rallying to win his match 6-7, 7-5, 6-1. Shane won nine-straight games spanning the second and third sets en route to his comeback victory.

In the evening match against Furman (2-3), Virginia again swept the doubles.  Corinteli/Shane started it off with a dominating 6-1 victory at No. 1 followed by a 6-2 win at No. 3 from sophomore Henrik Wiersholm (Kirkland, Wash.) and Cornish. Altamirano and Aragone closed it out with a 6-3 victory at No. 2.

Corinteli powered his way to a quick 6-0, 6-1 victory over Josh Pistorius at No. 5 singles, followed by a 6-0, 6-1 victory by Wiersholm over Ben Horst at No. 4. Aragone again clinched the match with a 6-4, 6-2 victory over Cameron Green at No. 3. Altamirano won 6-2, 6-1 over Matt Browne at No. 2. Richmond won 6-4, 6-1 over Alex Steryous at No. 6 before Kwiatkowski closed out the match with a 7-6, 6-2 victory over Adam Steryous at No. 1.

“I was really impressed with the level of play, effort, discipline and fight shown throughout the day from Harrison Richmond and Jonathan Cornish,” Boland said. “It is so positive for our team to have veterans like them serving as great leaders. They just continue to get better with every single match.”

The Cavaliers will be back at the Boar’s Head Sports Club hosting No. 9 UCLA on Tuesday, February 9 at 6 p.m. as a warm-up before hosting the ITA National Team Indoor Championship Feb. 12-15. The ITA Indoors features the top-16 teams in the nation playing for the first team championship of the year. Virginia has won the title at National Indoors five of the last eight years.

 

No. 1 Virginia 7, Elon 0

Singles

1. #11 Ryan Shane (VA) def. Mario Paccini (ELON) 6-7, 7-5, 6-1
2. Collin Altamirano (VA) def. Felipe Sarrasague (ELON) 6-3, 6-3
3. #2 Thai-Son Kwiatkowski (VA) def. Robert Lindgren (ELON) 6-1, 6-1
4. #74 J.C. Aragone (VA) def. Petar Tomic (ELON) 6-2, 6-3
5. Mac Styslinger (VA) def. Salvador Mijares (ELON) 6-2, 6-1
6. Harrison Richmond (VA) def. Chris Humphreys (ELON) 6-1, 6-3

Doubles

1. #14 Ryan Shane/Luca Corinteli (VA) def. Petar Tomic/Salvador Mijares (ELON) 6-2
2. #5 Thai-Son Kwiatkowski/Mac Styslinger (VA) def. Robert Lindgren/Mario Paccini (ELON) 6-4
3. Jonathan Cornish/Harrison Richmond (VA) def. Neal Port/Chris Humphreys (ELON) 6-1

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

T-2:42 A-163

 

No. 1 Virginia 7, Furman 0

Singles

1. #2 Thai-Son Kwiatkowski (VA) def. Adam Steryous (FUR) 7-6, 6-2
2. Collin Altamirano (VA) def. Matt Browne (FUR) 6-2, 6-1
3. #74 J.C. Aragone (VA) def. Cameron Green (FUR) 6-4, 6-2
4. #90 Henrik Wiersholm (VA) def. Ben Horst (FUR) 6-0, 6-1
5. Luca Corinteli (VA) def. Josh Pistorius (FUR) 6-0, 6-1
6. Harrison Richmond (VA) def. Alex Steryous (FUR) 6-4, 6-1

Doubles

1. #14 Luca Corinteli/Ryan Shane (VA) def. Adam Steryous/Cameron Green (FUR) 6-1
2. Collin Altamirano/J.C. Aragone (VA) def. Ben Horst/Matt Browne (FUR) 6-3
3. Henrik Wiersholm/Jonathan Cornish (VA) def. Alex Steryous/Stefan Rhodes (FUR) 6-2

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

T-1:56 A-98