SAVANNAH, Ga. – Barry University's seventh-ranked men's tennis team exacted some revenge on No. 5 Valdosta State Saturday, beating the team that knocked the Buccaneers out of last year's NCAA Tournament, 8-1, at Armstrong State.
Barry walked a tightrope in two of the three doubles matches, pulling away at Nos. 1 and 3 with 9-8 victories, but then picked up four of its five singles victories in straight sets to put the Blazers away.
Barry senior Ahmed Triki, the No. 2-ranked player in NCAA Division II, fell for the first time since his freshman season when he dropped a 6-3, 6-3 No. 1 singles match to No. 3 Leo Blay.
"As far as the streak, streaks are meant to end," Bucs longtime coach George Samuel said on the eve of what could be a milestone for himself. "I think he's OK with it. He's more concerned with our team, and our team is pretty darn good this year."
INSIDE THE MATCHUP
Final: Barry 8, Valdosta State 1
Records: Barry 8-0, Valdosta State 4-4
SUMMARY:
- Triki and Pierre Montrieul beat Eden Peleg and Axel Holm, 9-8 (7-3), at No. 1 doubles. Nico Dreer and Thomas Bugeaud were 9-8 (7-5) winners over Jordi Mas and Fernando Rivas at the No. 3 position.
- No. 24-ranked Carlos Gomez and Vivien Versier defeated No. 19 Xavier Pineda and Blay, 8-5, at No. 2 pairs.
- Dreer, the 33rd-ranked player in the country, defeated No. 20 Fernando Rivas, 6-4, 6-4, at No. 4 singles.
- Fabian Pronnet, who had been held out of the lineup for the past couple matches, was a 6-2, 6-4 winner over Davis Stewart at No. 5.
- Montrieul bounced back from a stinging defeat a day earlier to hand Mas a 6-4, 6-3 setback at the No. 3 position.
- No. 11-ranked Carlos Gomez outlasted the 33rd-ranked Pineda, 6-4, 4-6, 10-7, at No. 2 singles.
- Versier rolled to a 6-3, 6-1 win over Holm at No. 6.
NOTEWORTHY:
- Dreer won his second straight match over a nationally-ranked opponent. Gomez picked up his first win over a ranked opponent.
- Triki's last loss came on March 22, 2014 in a 7-6 (8-6), 6-1 defeat to Hawai'i Pacific's No. 2-ranked Petr Michnev.
- Barry coach George Samuel collected his 499th career victory with the Buccaneers men's tennis program.
ON THE HORIZON:
Barry will play No. 9 West Florida at 9 a.m. Sunday to conclude its Georgia trip.
BOX SCORE