Friday, February 16
University Park, Pa.
5:00 PM ET
Liberty University
4
at
0
Penn State
New-Look Lineup Pushes Flames Past Penn State 4-0
2/16/2024 9:04:00 PM | Men's Tennis
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Deji Thomas-Smith paved the way for the Flames to push past Penn State 4-0 on Friday night. Liberty (6-3) earned the sweep with the help of an intense doubles tiebreaker to best Penn State (4-6).
With the two doubles matches entering a tiebreaker with the Flames grabbing the first on court two, Liberty knew they just needed one match to finish strong. The No. 1 doubles match was struggling to find a victor, needing much more than the standard seven points for the set. Penn State edged closer to the doubles point as court three was decided by a 7-6 (4) final. Liberty's duo of Chase Robinson and Deji Thomas-Smith saw an opening as they saw their teammates fall and were able to steal the win on the next point for the 7-6 (12) triumph.
In his first-ever appearance at the No. 1 position, Thomas-Smith earned the match-winning fourth point after battling for every point in 7-6 (5), 7-5 victory. The senior holds a 72-58 singles record in his Liberty career, primarily seeing time in the No. 3 position (12-10).
Liberty improves its record when facing Penn State to 3-1 including two consecutive victories.
Thoughts from Head Coach Derek Schwandt
"The team fought hard together and as a family tonight. We had some adversity this week and the team responded well."
on Deji Thomas-Smith
"Deji led with his strengths tonight. He brings strong passion, vocality and competition to the team throughout the match and tonight was a great example of this."
Liberty 4, Penn State 0
Singles Competition
1. Thomas-Smith, Deji (LU) def. Stefan Simeunovic (PSU) 7-6 (7-5), 7-5
2. Longwe-Smit, Thando (LU) def. Nolan Ranger (PSU) 6-3, 6-2
3. Jack Martuccio (PSU) vs. Samardzic, Matija (LU) 2-6, 6-4, 1-2, unfinished
4. Hadzimehmedovic, R (LU) def. Ari Cotoulas (PSU) 6-4, 6-2
5. Alexander Sterin (PSU) vs. Santiago Arraez, R (LU) 3-4, unfinished
6. Ritvik Nadikude (PSU) vs. Robinson, Chase (LU) 1-4, unfinished
Doubles Competition
1. Thomas-Smith, Deji/Robinson, Chase (LU) def. Ari Cotoulas/Nolan Ranger (PSU) 7-6 (14-12)
2. Samardzic, Matija/Hadzimehmedovic, R (LU) def. Miko Eala/Stefan Simeunovic (PSU) 6-4
3. Jack Martuccio/Alexander Sterin (PSU) def. Longwe-Smit, Thando/Santiago Arraez, R (LU) 7-6 (7-4)
Liberty 6-3
Penn State 4-6
Order of Finish: Doubles (2,3,1); Singles (4,2,1)
T-2:57
How it Happened
Doubles
Singles
Up Next
Liberty continues a road trip, heading south of Virginia to meet Georgia State on Sunday. First serve is set for 1 p.m. from the Lifetime Fitness in Peachtree Corners, Ga.
With the two doubles matches entering a tiebreaker with the Flames grabbing the first on court two, Liberty knew they just needed one match to finish strong. The No. 1 doubles match was struggling to find a victor, needing much more than the standard seven points for the set. Penn State edged closer to the doubles point as court three was decided by a 7-6 (4) final. Liberty's duo of Chase Robinson and Deji Thomas-Smith saw an opening as they saw their teammates fall and were able to steal the win on the next point for the 7-6 (12) triumph.
In his first-ever appearance at the No. 1 position, Thomas-Smith earned the match-winning fourth point after battling for every point in 7-6 (5), 7-5 victory. The senior holds a 72-58 singles record in his Liberty career, primarily seeing time in the No. 3 position (12-10).
Liberty improves its record when facing Penn State to 3-1 including two consecutive victories.
Thoughts from Head Coach Derek Schwandt
"The team fought hard together and as a family tonight. We had some adversity this week and the team responded well."
on Deji Thomas-Smith
"Deji led with his strengths tonight. He brings strong passion, vocality and competition to the team throughout the match and tonight was a great example of this."
Liberty 4, Penn State 0
Singles Competition
1. Thomas-Smith, Deji (LU) def. Stefan Simeunovic (PSU) 7-6 (7-5), 7-5
2. Longwe-Smit, Thando (LU) def. Nolan Ranger (PSU) 6-3, 6-2
3. Jack Martuccio (PSU) vs. Samardzic, Matija (LU) 2-6, 6-4, 1-2, unfinished
4. Hadzimehmedovic, R (LU) def. Ari Cotoulas (PSU) 6-4, 6-2
5. Alexander Sterin (PSU) vs. Santiago Arraez, R (LU) 3-4, unfinished
6. Ritvik Nadikude (PSU) vs. Robinson, Chase (LU) 1-4, unfinished
Doubles Competition
1. Thomas-Smith, Deji/Robinson, Chase (LU) def. Ari Cotoulas/Nolan Ranger (PSU) 7-6 (14-12)
2. Samardzic, Matija/Hadzimehmedovic, R (LU) def. Miko Eala/Stefan Simeunovic (PSU) 6-4
3. Jack Martuccio/Alexander Sterin (PSU) def. Longwe-Smit, Thando/Santiago Arraez, R (LU) 7-6 (7-4)
Liberty 6-3
Penn State 4-6
Order of Finish: Doubles (2,3,1); Singles (4,2,1)
T-2:57
How it Happened
Doubles
- Liberty grabbed a crucial doubles match win on court 2 to begin the night. In their first time playing together, Romeo Hadzimehmedovic and Matija Samardzic edged Miko Eala and Stefan Simeunovic 6-4.
- Penn State came back on court three to force a tiebreaker. Rodrigo Santiago Arraez and Thando Longwe-Smit lost a 5-3 lead to Jack Martuccio and Alexander Sterin. The Penn State duo handled the Flames pair in a tiebreaker to secure a 7-6 (4) victory.
- In the most competitive doubles match for the Flames this season, Liberty was just able to hang on in an extended tiebreaker. In the No. 1 doubles match, Chase Robinson and Deji Thomas-Smith (3-1) were facing Ari Cotoulas and Nolan Ranger. Neither team was able to separate themselves as the two traded leads. The Liberty duo clinched the doubles a point with a 7-6 (12) triumph just after the Flames dropped the match on court 2.
Singles
- Romeo Hadzimehmedovic earned the first singles point of the day on court three. With the 6-4, 6-2 win over Cotoulas, the freshman improved to 3-0 in singles to start his Liberty career. Hadzimehmedovic is the second Liberty true freshman this season to own a 3-0 singles mark.
- Liberty's Longwe-Smit improved the team's lead to 3-0 with a victory in the No. 2 singles match. Besting Ranger 6-3, 6-2, the senior is now 2-1 in the position this season and 5-3 in singles overall.
- Deji Thomas-Smith (3-4) grabbed the match-clinching fourth point on court one to secure the 4-0 sweep. The Liberty senior fought in a back-and-forth bout but snuck away with the 7-6 (5), 7-5 triumph.
- Matija Samardzic's (5-3) match on court three facing Martuccio went unfinished with the Flame up in the third set 6-2, 4-6, 2-1.
- Only having four courts, the No. 5 and No. 6 matches went underway late. Arraez' (5-0) match on court five was finished with the Liberty athlete leading 4-3 over Sterin. Robinson (4-2) was up 4-1 facing Ritvik Nadikude as Thomas-Smith won the match for the Flames.
Up Next
Liberty continues a road trip, heading south of Virginia to meet Georgia State on Sunday. First serve is set for 1 p.m. from the Lifetime Fitness in Peachtree Corners, Ga.
Team Stats
#1 Doubles Match
#2 Doubles Match
#3 Doubles Match
Order of Finish:
2,3,1
#1 Singles Match
12
77
Stefan Simeunovic / 0 [PSU]
65
#2 Singles Match
12
66
Nolan Ranger / 0 [PSU]
32
#3 Singles Match
1234
6420
Jack Martuccio / 0 [PSU]
261UF
#4 Singles Match
12
66
Ari Cotoulas / 0 [PSU]
42
#5 Singles Match
12
40
Alexander Sterin / 0 [PSU]
3UF
#6 Singles Match
12
40
Ritvik Nadikude / 0 [PSU]
1UF
Order of Finish:
4,2,1
Players Mentioned
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
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