TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — The University of Notre Dame men’s tennis team ended their three-match road trip with a stop at Florida State Sunday afternoon. The No. 11 Irish lost a close battle with the No. 41 Seminoles by a 4-3 decision.
Doubles
The Irish clinched the doubles point early with a sweep on court three by Guillermo Cabrera and William Howells while Matt Gamble and Grayson Broadus walked away with the 6-3 victory for the first point of the match.
Tristan McCormick and Axel Nefve also led in the top doubles, 5-2, when their match was abandoned.
Singles
The first set saw the Irish stumble a bit as McCormick was the lone victor for the Irish through one set of singles. He went on to win in straight sets, 6-4, 6-3, to give Notre Dame the 2-1 lead.
Notre Dame fought back hard as Howells, Cabrera and Gamble all forced a third set to keep Irish hopes alive. Howells, who dropped the first set by a score of 6-3, went on to win 12 of the next 14 games, including a 6-0 sweep in the third set to earn the third Irish point.
Florida State’s Juan Martin Jalif led Cabrera 5-4 in the third set and a long final game proved tough for both sides. Cabrera looked to stay alive and force a few more games while Jalif was trying to secure the win for his team. Ultimately, Cabrera fell just short of extending the game, dropping the third set, 6-4, to end the day.
Up Next
The Irish play host to ACC foe, Wake Forest, next Friday (March 22) at 3:30 p.m. The match will be held with the women’s as they take on the Demon Deacons as well.
The men return to Eck Tennis Pavilion again on Sunday, March 24, for a double header against North Carolina State and Toledo.
#41 Florida State University 4, #11 Notre Dame 3
Singles
1. #99 Lucas Poullain (FS) def. Axel Nefve (ND) 6-3, 6-3
2. Alex Knaff (FS) def. Matt Gamble (ND) 6-2, 3-6, 6-3
3. Tristan McCormick (ND) def. Richard Thongoana (FS) 6-4, 6-3
4. Juan Martin Jalif (FS) def. Guillermo Cabrera (ND) 7-6 (7-2), 1-6, 6-4
5. William Howells (ND) def. Chase Wood (FS) 3-6, 6-2, 6-0
6. Enzo Le Seguillon (FS) def. Grayson Broadus (ND) 6-3, 6-3
Doubles
1. Alex Knaff/Sebastian Arcila (FS) vs. Tristan McCormick/Axel Nefve (ND) 2-5, unfinished
2. Matt Gamble/Grayson Broadus (ND) def. Lucas Poullain/Bryn Nahrung (FS) 6-3
3. Guillermo Cabrera/William Howells (ND) def. Chase Wood/Richard Thongoana (FS) 6-0
Match Notes:
Notre Dame 10-8, 3-2; National ranking #11
Florida State University 13-5, 3-2; National ranking #41
Order of finish: Doubles (3,2); Singles (6,3,1,2,5,4)
–ND–