Liberty University
No. 34 South Florida
Liberty Edged by No. 34 South Florida, 4-3
3/10/2021 12:00:00 AM | Men's Tennis
The No. 34-ranked South Florida Bulls edged visiting Liberty 4-3, Wednesday afternoon at the USF Varsity Tennis Courts.
Liberty sees its three-match winning streak ended, as the Flames fall to 8-5 on the season. South Florida bolsters its record to 7-2 and has won five straight matches.
The two teams split the six singles matches, with the doubles point proving to be the difference in the outcome. USF edged Liberty in a tiebreaker on court two to claim the critical first point of the match. The Bulls also won a pair of three-set singles matches, the No. 2 and No. 4 singles contests, to secure the victory.
Thoughts From Head Coach Derek Schwandt
"The team fought hard and was selflessly from start to finish. Thanks to our awesome crowd support as well."
#34 South Florida 4, Liberty 3
Singles Competition
1. Nicaise Muamba (LIBERTYM) def. Chase Ferguson (USF) 7-5, 4-6, 6-1
2. Jakub Wojcik (USF) def. Josh Wilson (LIBERTYM) 7-6 (7-5), 3-6, 6-3
3. R. Marques Da Silva (LIBERTYM) def. Pierre Luquet (USF) 7-6 (7-3), 6-4
4. Ivan Yatsuk (USF) def. Deji Thomas-Smith (LIBERTYM) 4-6, 6-3, 6-3
5. Christiaan Worst (LIBERTYM) def. Sergio Gomez Montesa (USF) 6-4, 7-5
6. Alvin Tudorica (USF) def. Thando Longwe-Smit (LIBERTYM) 7-5, 6-3
Doubles Competition
1. #38 Chase Ferguson/Pierre Luquet (USF) def. Deji Thomas-Smith/Christiaan Worst (LIBERTYM) 6-1
2. Jakub Wojcik/Alvin Tudorica (USF) def. Nicaise Muamba/R. Marques Da Silva (LIBERTYM) 7-6 (7-3)
3. Josh Wilson/Zion Heaven (LIBERTYM) def. Manuel Goncalves/Antonio Muniz (USF) 6-4
Liberty 8-5
South Florida 7-2; National ranking #34
Order of finish: Doubles (1,3,2); Singles (6,4,5,3,2,1)
Official: Kim Bonk T-3:30
How It Happened
• Liberty lost the doubles point for the first time since Feb. 19 (Old Dominion). The doubles session was decided on court two after the two teams split matches on courts one (USF victory) and three (Liberty victory). The Bulls' No. 2 doubles team, Jakub Wojcik and Alvin Tudorica, edged the Flames' Nicaise Muamba and Rafael Marques Da Silva in a tiebreaker, 7-6 (3).
• The first decided match went to USF's nationally-ranked doubles unit, No. 38 Chase Ferguson and Pierre Luquet, who topped Deji Thomas-Smith and Christiaan Worst 6-1. Liberty's doubles victory came from Josh Wilson and Zion Heaven (No. 3 doubles), who were paired together for the first time. Wilson and Heaven upended Manuel Goncalves and Antonio Muniz 6-4.
• The Bulls' Tudorica opened the singles session by handing the Flames' Thando Longwe-Smit his first career singles loss, 7-5, 6-4 on court six. USF drew within a point of victory (3-0) when Ivan Yatsuk topped Liberty's Thomas-Smith in comeback fashion, 4-6, 6-3, 6-3 at No. 4 singles.
• Liberty's Worst put the Flames on the scoreboard with a 6-4, 7-5 decision over Sergio Gomez Montesa at No. 5 singles. Worst has now won three straight singles matches.
• Marques Da Silva of the Flames provided the second point of the day for the visitors. He defeated Luquet 7-6 (3), 6-4, improving to 9-4 in singles this spring and 6-1 in the No. 3 slot in the lineup.
• Leading 3-2, the Bulls secured the match victory with a three-set triumph from Wojcik (No. 2 singles) versus Wilson (7-6 (5), 3-6, 6-3).
• Liberty's Muamba, who was named ASUN Player of the Week for a third time this season during this afternoon's match, continued his success with a 7-5, 4-6, 6-1 result over Ferguson in the No. 1 singles match. Muamba improves to a team-best 9-3 in 2021.
• Wednesday's contest marked the first-ever men's tennis match between the two schools. South Florida moved up two spots from No. 36 to No. 34 in today's newest Oracle/ITA Division I Men's Rankings.
Next Up
• The Flames will travel southeast to Boca Raton, Fla., to square off with Florida Atlantic (4-4), Friday. Match time is slated for 10:30 a.m. at the FAU Tennis Complex.
Team Stats
#1 Doubles Match
#2 Doubles Match
#3 Doubles Match
Order of Finish:
1,3,2
#1 Singles Match
#2 Singles Match
#3 Singles Match
#4 Singles Match
#5 Singles Match
#6 Singles Match
Order of Finish:
6,4,5,3,2,1