Jan. 13, 2012

Complete Results

TULSA, Okla. - The No. 23-ranked University of Tulsa men's tennis team dropped a narrow 4-3 decision to No. 14 California Friday night inside Case Tennis Center.

The Golden Hurricane (0-1) lost the doubles point and fell behind 3-0 before mounting a thrilling comeback. That was until senior Ashley Watling fell in a third-set tiebreak to Nick Andrews at No. 2 singles to clinch the match for the Golden Bears (1-0).

Andrews and Christoffer Konigsfeldt, the No. 5 doubles team in the nation, defeated TU's No. 3-ranked duo of Watling and junior Clifford Marsland 8-5 at the top of the doubles lineup.

The lone doubles win for the home team came from the newly formed duo of sophomore Japie De Klerk and freshman Lucian Gheorghe at the third spot. They defeated Gregory Bayane and Riki McLachlan 9-8 (7-2).

Juniors Grant Ive and Tristan Jackson comprise the No. 37-ranked doubles team in the nation, and they fell 8-6 to No. 27 Carlos Cueto and Ben McLachlan at No. 2 doubles.

California jumped ahead 3-0 after picking up wins at both No. 4 and No. 5 singles. Ive, ranked No. 88, lost 6-1, 6-2 to Konigsfeldt, and Gheorghe fell 6-4, 7-5 to Bayane.

Tulsa began to sway the momentum of the match when Marsland upset No. 42 Ben McLachlan at the third position in a third-set tiebreak, 3-6, 6-2, 7-6 (7-2).

De Klerk cut the match to 3-2 when he beat Cueto 6-4, 7-6 (7-3) at the top of the lineup.

Watling, ranked No. 83 in the nation, had a chance to tie the score at 3-3 when he took Andrews to a final-set tiebreak, but he would fall 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (7-5).

Jackson picked up a win at the sixth position with a 7-6 (7-5), 4-6, 6-1 over Riki McLachlan.

The road doesn't get any easier for Tulsa as the team plays host to No. 6 Stanford at 5 p.m. Jan. 20 and No. 20 North Carolina at 12 noon Jan. 22 inside Case Tennis Center.

Tennis Match Results
Jan 13, 2012 at Tulsa, Okla.
(Case Tennis Center)
#14 California 4, #23 Tulsa 3
Singles competition 
1. Japie De Klerk (TLS) def. Carlos Cueto (CAL) 6-4, 7-6 (7-3)
2. Nick Andrews (CAL) def. #83 Ashley Watling (TLS) 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (7-5)
3. Clifford Marsland (TLS) def. #42 Ben McLachlan (CAL) 3-6, 6-2, 7-6 (7-2)
4. Chris Konigsfeldt (CAL) def. #88 Grant Ive (TLS) 6-1, 6-2
5. Gregory Bayane (CAL) def. Lucian Gheorghe (TLS) 6-4, 7-5
6. Tristan Jackson (TLS) def. Riki McLachlan (CAL) 7-6 (7-5), 4-6, 6-1
Doubles competition 
1. #5 Nick Andrews/Chris Konigsfeldt (CAL) def. #3 Ashley Watling/Clifford Marsland (TLS) 8-5
2. #27 Carlos Cueto/Ben McLachlan (CAL) def. #37 Grant Ive/Tristan Jackson (TLS) 8-6
3. Lucian Gheorghe/Japie De Klerk (TLS) def. Gregory Bayane/Riki McLachlan (CAL) 9-8 (7-2)
Match Notes:
California 1-0; National ranking #14
Tulsa 0-1; National ranking #23
Order of finish: Doubles (2,1,3); Singles (4,5,3,1,2,6)