Sooners Battle, Fall to Notre Dame

NORMAN  – The Oklahoma men’s tennis team suffered its first loss of the season Sunday to No. 17 Notre Dame.

Notre Dame took the doubles point to open the match. At the top spot, OU’s Spencer Papa and Jake Van Emburgh were defeated by No. 11 Richard Ciamarra and Tristan McCormick 6-4. Sooners Alex Bakshi and Stefano Tsorotiotis were defeated by No. 49 Grayson Broadus and Matt Gamle 6-3 at No 3.

When play was halted, Ferran Calvo and Mason Beiler led Alex Ledbedev and Axel Nefve 5-4 on court two.

Two Sooners picked up singles victories in the contest. At the top spot, redshirt senior Papa took down No. 16 Ledbedev 6-3, 6-4. Papa never trailed in the match.

Bakshi outlasted Nefve in a three-setter on court three. Bakshi gave up the first set 6-3, but rallied in the second to win it in a tiebreaker 7-6 (4). Bakshi rolled past Nefve 6-2 in the third to get a win for the Sooners.

At the No. 4 spot, Ferran Calvo took McCormick to three sets, but fell 3-6, 6-3, 6-2. On court five, Jochen Bertsch was defeated by No. 49 William Howells, 6-1, 6-2. At the No. 6 line, Stefano Tsorotiotis fell to Guillermo Cabrera after a wild three set battle.

Tsorotiotis lost a narrow contest to Cabrera at the No. 6 spot. Tsorotiotis dropped the first set 6-2 before turning the tables to take the second 6-3 and force a deciding frame. In the third, Tsorotiotis erased at 5-2 deficit to tie it at 5-all, but Cabrera prevailed.

When play was abandoned, Van Emburgh was in his third set with No. 63 Ciamarra, trailing 5-3. Van Emburgh took the first frame 6-4 before Ciammarrra won the second 6-4 to send the court to a deciding set.

Up Next

OU hits the road for the first time this season when it heads to Michigan Saturday Feb. 2. First serve is set for 6 p.m. CT.

Results

Singles Results
1. Spencer Papa (OU) def. #16 Alex Lebedev (ND) 6-3, 6-4
2. Jake Van Emburgh (OU) vs. #63 Richard Ciamarra (ND) 6-4, 4-6, 3-5, unfinished
3. Alex Bakshi (OU) def. Axel Nefve (ND) 3-6, 7-6 (7-4), 6-2
4. Tristan McCormick (ND) def. Ferran Calvo (OU) 3-6, 6-3, 6-2
5. #49 William Howells (ND) def. Jochen Bertsch (OU) 6-1, 6-2
6. Guillermo Cabrera (ND) def. Stefano Tsorotiotis (OU) 6-2, 3-6, 7-5

Doubles Results
1. #11 Richard Ciamarra/Tristan McCormick (ND) def. Spencer Papa/Jake Van Emburgh (OU) 6-4
2. Ferran Calvo/Mason Beiler (OU) vs. Alex Lebedev/Axel Nefve (ND) 5-4, unfinished
3. #49 Grayson Broadus/Matt Gamble (ND) def. Alex Bakshi/Stefano Tsorotiotis (OU) 6-3

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

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