The Tennessee men’s tennis team hosted No. 4 Georgia in the final match of the regular season Saturday hoping to get one more solid victory before the start of the SEC Tournament.
While the Vols could not take down the Bulldogs and lost the match without getting any team points, UT coach Sam Winterbotham was optimistic about the 7-0 loss.
“It’s a match we’re capable of winning,” Winterbotham said. “Georgia’s higher ranked and they’re probably stronger top to bottom, but we’re capable of winning that match. We’ve got to compete to win, not just compete to keep it close. That’s where these guys have to grow up.”
No. 15 Tennessee (13-12, 5-6 SEC) was up against one of the toughest opponents that it has seen this season. With five players ranked in the top 60, Georgia came into Knoxville and did not let up on the Vols.
Senior Bryan Swartz was honored for his final home match, but was unable to get the win alongside freshman Peter Nagovnak as Tennessee has lost the past seven matches on Court Three of its doubles parings.
While losing the doubles point early to Georgia, the perfect 7-0 record of duo Edward Jones and Jarryd Chaplin ended in an 8-2 loss. Freshmen Mikelis Libietis and Hunter Reese showed their dominance and broke out of a recent slump, winning 8-3. This pair will be key in the upcoming post-season.
“I love playing with Mikelis because he’s an awesome tennis player and awesome partner,” Reese said. “The last couple of matches haven’t gone our way. They’ve all been close. We just got to get back to what we do best. High barrier, making a lot of balls, and really fight for every point. We have been working a lot in practice and have been putting a lot of focus on doubles the past couple of days.”
In the singles matches, there was very little good news. All six Tennessee players were taken down one-by-one as Georgia routed through the young team.
Libietis’ first career top 10 win will have to come at another time as No. 9 Spencer defeated him in a battle that included a 10-point tiebreaker. Freshman Brandon Fickey initially had the momentum to win the match over Georgia’s Doumbia as he won the first set, but then lost 4-6, 6-1, 6-1.
“The season’s just started,” Winterbotham said. “What we did up until now prepares us for the season. That’s why I’m really disappointed today because I wanted to see something from this team that I didn’t see today.”
The Vols take on Alabama in the first round of the SEC Tournament on Wednesday in Starkville, Miss.
