Green Wave Men's Tennis Knocks Off Rice

Thursday, March 10

Montgomery, Ala.

1:30 PM

Tulane University

Rice (Blue-Gray Invit.)

David Goulet wrapped up Tulane's quarterfinal victory on Friday at the Blue-Gray Classic. [File photo by Ned Dishman]

Mar 11, 2005 | Men's Tennis

March 11, 2005

MONTGOMERY, Ala. - Tulane University advanced to the semifinals of the 55th annual Blue-Gray Tennis Classic on Friday afternoon with a tightly-contested 4-3 victory over 27th-ranked Rice University. The Green Wave, ranked No. 25 in the country, will face No. 55 Boise State in the semifinals on Saturday at 1:30 p.m.

For the 13th time in 14 matches, Tulane (11-3) clinched the doubles point. After the Wave lost at No. 1 doubles, junior Jacobo Hernandez and sophomore Ted Angelinos continued their outstanding doubles play, improving to 12-1 this spring with an 8-5 victory. Sophomore David Goulet and freshman Jonah Kane-West rallied at No. 3 for a 9-7 victory to secure the doubles point for the Green Wave.

In singles action, the two teams traded victories. Angelinos and Sottocorno both won for Tulane; the victory improved Sottocorno to 12-1 this season, but the Wave lost at No. 1 and No. 6, making the score 3-2 with two matches to play.

After another victory for Rice (9-3), this one at No. 3, the match was knotted at three, but Goulet came through in the clutch, winning in three sets, 7-5, 6-7, 6-4.

"For David to battle back like he did, was huge," Tulane coach Robert Klein said. "He had a chance to win in straight sets but was broken, but he responded and played great in the third set to get us the win."

Boise State upset No. 18 Notre Dame in Friday's quarterfinals. The other semifinal pits 44th-ranked Texas A&M-Corpus Christi against 56th-ranked Tulsa.

March 10, 2005
Blue-Gray Invitational
Montgomery, Ala.

No. 25 Tulane 4, No. 27 Rice 3

Doubles:
1. Searle/Harknett (Rice) def. Koch/ Sottocorno (TU): 8-3
2. Angelinos/Hernandez (TU) def. Haerle/Filip Zivojinovic (Rice): 8-5
3. Goulet/Kane-West (TU) def. Gabriel/Mok (Rice): 9-7

Singles:
1. Robert Searle (Rice) def. #59 Dmitriy Koch (TU): 7-5, 6-3
2. #81 David Goulet (TU) def. Tony Haerle (Rice): 7-5, 6-7, 6-4
3. Ben Harknett (Rice) def. Jacobo Hernandez (TU): 6-4, 3-6, 6-4
4. Ted Angelinos (TU) def. Ralph Knupfer (Rice): 6-0, 6-3
5. Alberto Sottocorno (TU) def. Jason Mok (Rice): 7-6, 6-2
6. Rodrigo Gabriel (Rice) def. Jonah Kane-West (TU): 6-4, 6-4