May 17, 2012

NCAA Tournament Central

2011-12 Records | ITA Rankings (Team, Singles, Doubles)

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THIS WEEK
2012 NCAA Division I Men's Tennis Championships | Round of 16
No. 2 Virginia (26-1) vs. No. 14 California (14-11)
Dan Magill Tennis Complex | Athens, Ga.
Friday, May 18, 2012 - 1 p.m. PT (4 p.m. local)

ATHENS, Ga. - The 14th-seeded California men's tennis team (14-11) will meet third-seeded and second-ranked Virginia (26-1) in the round of 16 of the 2012 NCAA Division I Men's Tennis Championships at the Dan Magill Tennis Complex on Friday, May 18, at 1 p.m. PT (4 p.m. local).

The Golden Bears hosted and defeated UTSA, 4-0, in the first round at the Hellman Tennis Complex in Berkeley, Calif. Their second-round match-up came down to the wire as 37th-ranked sophomore Ben McLachlan secured a come-from-behind clinching point at the top court to push Cal past No. 22 Texas Tech, 4-3. This is the second consecutive year that the Bears have advanced to the round of 16 and the sixth time that Cal has advanced as far under head coach Peter Wright.

Virginia also played host to first- and second-round foes and earned a pair of 4-0 victories against Fairleigh Dickinson and VCU (Virginia Commonwealth) to advance to the round of 16 for the ninth straight year. The Cavaliers were last season's runner-up to three-time defending NCAA champion USC. Virginia's only loss, this season, was to Ohio State in the semifinals of the ITA Indoor Championships.

Cal and Virginia have never met in a dual match, but the two schools are noted as the top two public universities in the country.

The Bears' lineup is guided at the top court by McLachlan who leads the team with a 26-11 singles record. Senior Nick Andrews has 15 singles wins and is the 58th-ranked player in the country. Fellow senior Carlos Cueto is ranked No. 70. Among doubles teams, Andrews teams with junior Christoffer Konigsfeldt to form the sixth-ranked team in the country with a 21-6 mark. Cueto and McLachlan are 25-10 this season and are ranked No. 66 as a tandem.

For Virginia, freshman Mitchell Frank is ranked No. 2 in the nation. He is followed closely by junior Jarmere Jenkins who is ranked No. 4. Sophomore Alex Domijan holds the No. 39 ranking while fellow sophomore Justin Shane is ranked No. 82 to give the Cavaliers four ranked singles players.

Four combinations of doubles teams also hold rankings for Virginia. Senior Drew Courtney and Jenkins are ranked No. 5 while senior Philippe Oudshoom and Shane are ranked No. 76. Courtney and junior Julen Uriguen are ranked No. 84 while the team of Jenkins and Uriguen are ranked No. 89.

Live scoring and video are available for each match at the NCAA Championships. Please visit http://www.georgiadogs.com/sports/m-tennis/spec-rel/ncaa-2012.html to access the necessary links.