Box Score Chicago State's
Pedro Alvarez faced triple-match point in the final match of the day and came back for a 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (5) win to deliver a 4-3 team victory for the Cougars over UIC Wednesday afternoon at the H-F Racquet & Fitness Club in Homewood, Illinois.
"I don't have the words to explain the energy and emotion of this match," head coach
Jack Barton said. "I knew it was going to be a tough match but I didn't know it was going to end up being a slugfest. For Pedro (Alvarez) to be down triple match point, and for him to keep his focus was outstanding. He never gave up. I can't find the words to describe how this team fought today."
Chicago State swept doubles to earn the team point and UIC responded with wins at No. 5 and 4 singles for a temporary lead.
Hugo Hidalgo Vega won at No. 6 and
Jakov Suler followed with a CSU victory at No. 2 and Chicago State held a 3-2 advantage, needing to win one of the final two matches still being contested for the team victory with both matches heading into a deciding third set. UIC picked up the win at No. 3, with
Jesus Perez Plaza dropping a 6-4, 4-6, 6-2 decision, leaving the deciding match to the final two men on the court, Alvarez from Chicago State and Pelle Strandberg from UIC. Alvarez jumped out to a 3-1 third set lead but Strandberg battled back and eventually was turned away at match point on three occasions and Alvarez earned the win, giving the Cougars a 4-3 advantage.
Complete results listed below.
The men's tennis team will be back in action with a pair of matches at two locations Saturday, March 5. First, the Cougars will welcome Holy Cross College to the H-F Racquet & Fitness Club in Homewood at 11 a.m. where CSU seniors
Jakov Suler,
Jakub Zamorski,
Javier Sanchez Pradillo and
Jesus Perez Plaza will be recognized for their contributions to the Chicago State men's tennis program then the team will face Purdue Northwest at the Park Forest Health & Fitness Club in Park Forest at 3 p.m.
UIC vs Chicago State University
3/2/2022 at Homewood, IL
(H-F Racquet & Fitness)
Chicago State University 4, UIC 3
Singles competition
1.
Pedro Alvarez (CSUM) def. STRANDBERG, Pelle (UIC) 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (5)
2.
Jakov Suler (CSUM) def. SCHWEBEL, Gustavo (UIC) 6-2, 3-6, 6-1
3. TACCONI, Francesco (UIC) def.
Jesus Perez Plaza (CSUM) 6-4, 4-6, 6-2
4. WAZIR, Ammar (UIC) def.
Max Sandoval (CSUM) 6-3, 6-3
5. KRUZEL, Kevin (UIC) def.
Jakub Zamorski (CSUM) 6-4, 6-3
6.
Hugo Hidalgo Vega (CSUM) def. IERMOLOV, Artem (UIC) 6-3, 7-6 (5)
Doubles competition
1. J Sanchez Pradillo/
Pedro Alvarez (CSUM) def. STRANDBERG, Pelle/IERMOLOV, Artem (UIC) 6-3
2.
Jesus Perez Plaza/
Jakub Zamorski (CSUM) def. WAZIR, Ammar/KRUZEL, Kevin (UIC) 6-1
3.
Max Sandoval/
Jakov Suler (CSUM) def. SCHWEBEL, Gustavo/BANK, Daan (UIC) 6-3
Match Notes:
Order of finish: Doubles (2,3,1); Singles (5,4,6,2,3,1)
About Chicago State
Chicago State University Athletics is comprised of 15 intercollegiate teams involving over 150 student-athletes that compete in basketball, cross country, golf, soccer, tennis, indoor and outdoor track and volleyball. CSU held memberships in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) and NCAA Division II before transitioning to NCAA Division I in 1994. Melvin Bland was the first CSU student-athlete to gain NAIA All-American status in 1974 as a wrestler. Fred Evans became the first black swimmer ever to win a national championship in 1975. In 1991, the Chicago State women's tennis team became the first all-black college team to amass an unbeaten season at the NCAA level. CSU's women's basketball team earned a spot in the 2011 Women's Basketball Invitational and CSU's men's basketball team won the 2013 Great West Conference Tournament title, also making an appearance in the CollegeInside.com Postseason Tournament (CIT). The Men's Outdoor Track & Field 4x100-Meter Relay team were 2019 Honorable Mention All-Americans and WAC Champions. Their feat marked the first time the Chicago State's men's track & field program was represented at the national meet. Chicago State volleyball recorded a historic season in 2021, with Yanlis Feliz becoming CSU's first volleyball All-American and head coach
Tony Trifonov earning selection as WAC Coach of the Year.
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