Vandy knocks off Indiana in first road match of 2014

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – The 18th-ranked Vanderbilt men’s tennis team extended its win streak to six with a 4-2 win over No. 58 Indiana at the IU Indoor Tennis Center in Bloomington, Ind., Friday.

The Commodores (8-1) started the day dropping the doubles point, with losses at No. 2 and 3. Vandy’s top team of 6th-ranked Gonzales Austin and Ryan Lipman improved to 6-1 in dual play with an 8-7 (5) tiebreak win over Daniel Bednarczyk and Same Monette.

The `Dores No. 2 squad of Ryan Smith and Rhys Johnson dropped their match, 8-6, with Vandy’s No. 3 team of Anton Kovrigin and Jeffrey Offerdahl falling by the same score.

Offerdahl got the `Dores on the board quickly, winning 6-3, 7-5 at No. 6 singles.

Indiana (6-5) picked up its second and final point of the afternoon with a 6-3, 2-6, 6-4 upset win at No. 1 by Monette over 10th-ranked Austin. Austin’s loss is just his first in dual play.

Vandy would win the next three points with wins at No. 2, 3 and the clinch at 5.

At No. 2, Lipman won in straight sets 7-6, 6-2, while No. 82 won 3-6, 6-3, 7-6 (5) at No. 3 to set up the clinch.

Kovrigin was able to clinch the match for the `Dores with a 0-6, 7-5, 6-4 win at No. 5. His win keeps him undefeated in dual play with a 7-0 record.

Vanderbilt will keep its road trip going Sunday with a noon match against No. 33 Michigan.

#18 Vanderbilt 4, #58 Indiana 2

Singles competition
1. Sam Monette (IND) def. #10 Gonzales Austin (VU) 6-3, 2-6, 6-4
2. Ryan Lipman (VU) def. Sven Lalic (IND) 7-6, 6-2
3. #82 Rhys Johnson (VU) def. Dimitrije Tasic (IND) 3-6, 6-3, 7-6 (7-5)
4. Daniel Bednarczyk (IND) vs. Kris Yee (VU) 5-6, 7-5, 2-2, unfinished
5. Anton Kovrigin (VU) def. Elliot Yee (IND) 0-6, 7-5, 6-4
6. Jeffrey Offerdahl (VU) def. Stefan Lugonjic (IND) 6-3, 7-5

Doubles competition
1. #6 Gonzales Austin/Ryan Lipman (VU) def. Daniel Bednarczyk/Sam Monette (IND) 8-7 (7-5)
2. Sven Lalic/Dimitrije Tasic (IND) def. Ryan Smith/Rhys Johnson (VU) 8-6
3. Stefan Lugonjic/Chris Essick (IND) def. Anton Kovrigin/Jeffrey Offerdahl (VU) 8-6

Match Notes:
Vanderbilt 8-1; National ranking #18
Indiana 6-5; National ranking #58
Order of finish: Doubles (3,1,2); Singles (6,1,2,3,5)