University of Tennessee Athletics
University of Tennessee
#23 Ole Miss
Vols Reach ITA Indoors in 4-3 Thriller
January 30, 2012 | Men's Tennis
Jan. 30, 2012
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BY AMANDA PRUITT
UTSPORTS.COM
Tennessee freshman Hunter Reese has only played five dual matches, but he knows what it's like to be on court for the deciding match.
After all, he's been there two times already.
After losing a quick first set, Reese stormed back on court 3 to deliver the Vols' 4-3 victory over Mississippi on Monday in the championship match of the ITA Kick-Off Weekend at Goodfriend Tennis Center.
With the win, Tennessee (4-1) earned one of 16 spots in the ITA National Team Indoor Championships next month in Charlottesville, Va.
"We talked about this prior to the tournament: you have to have six guys out there giving everything you have, and that gives us a chance to beat great teams," Tennessee head coach Sam Winterbotham said. "We just keep working on the little things. Do the little things Tennessee does. Play to win. And leave it all out there, and I think good things happen."
Tennessee won the doubles point and sophomore Jarryd Chaplin provided a victory on court 4 before Mississippi took at 3-2 lead in the match. Next to Reese, freshman Mikelis Libietis tied the score 3-3 when he closed the door a three-set win at the top of the lineup against Nik Scholtz.
Suddenly it was a familiar situation for Reese, this time with a berth in the ITA National Team Indoors at stake.
A week ago, Reese was on the court with the match tied 3-3 and lost in a heartbreaking tiebreaker to Memphis' Joe Salisbury in the season opener. When his opportunity came around to clinch the team victory a second time, he was ready.
The redshirt freshman broke No. 98 Jonas Lutjen's serve in the final game to win 1-6, 7-5, 6-3 on court 3 to assure the Tennessee team win and a spot in the ITA Indoors starting Feb. 17.
Experience from the Memphis match spelled the difference for Reese.
"It definitely helped me," Reese said. "Who knows what would have happened if it was my first one? I'd like to say I would've gotten the win, but I don't know. I didn't focus on it. Whenever it came in my head, I made myself go right back to my match, every point. Next point."
Nerves might have played an issue in Reese's early-season loss against the in-state foe, but he was able to maintain his focus even after getting broken when serving for the match at 5-2 in the final set.
"Against Memphis, he played like it was his first dual match," Winterbotham said. "There were a lot of nerves involved. He had a hard time handling that. He competed awesome, he just handled the pressure a little differently today, and that's growth."
"He just competed. You saw it. It was just a great effort by him, and he's a freshman. That's incredible."
With a large after-work crowd backing them and momentum on their side, the Vols won a close doubles point and started out strong in singles, taking three of the first five completed sets.
Energy then titled in Mississippi's favor when the Vols' Edward Jones -- Tennessee's lone returning starter -- went down behind the baseline with an ankle injury when serving for the first set at 5-4, 15-0 on court 5 against Chris Thiemann.
Thiemann was able to win that first set in a tiebreaker and shortly after, the Rebels tied the match 1-1 when twin brother Marcel Thiemann beat Brandon Fickey 6-2, 6-1 on court 2.
Chaplin. who clinched Tennessee's win Sunday against Michigan State, gave the Vols the lead when he beat January-addition William Kallberg 6-3, 6-4 on court 4.
Mississippi got the next two points to take a 3-2 lead. Johan Backstrom beat junior Knoxville native Taylor Patrick 2-6, 6-4, 6-0 on court 6. Jones' mobility was severely limited after his ankle injury and he lost 7-6 (5), 6-2 to Chris Thiemann, leaving courts 1 and 3 the only ones still playing.
Reese said Jones' ankle injury was obviously a surprising one, especially since he was seemingly in control of the match at the time. While the injury knocked him and Libietis out of rhythm for a few minutes, Reese added Jones' willingness to continue playing while hurt encouraged the Vols still on court.
"That's when I saw maybe it would come down to me," Reese said. "Just to see him keep fighting every point, that helped me so much."
Libietis broke midway through the final set to beat Scholtz 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 at the top of the lineup, improving to 12-2 on the season in his first year at Tennessee.
All eyes turned to Reese, who broke Lutjen twice in the third set to take a 4-1 lead. With teammates standing on the nearby courts waiting to celebrate, Reese served for the match at 5-2 but was broken after having two match points.
However, Reese went to work after that on Lutjen's service game. He hit a return at Lutjen's feet to set up match point then laced a passing forehand down the line for the winner and celebrated with teammates.
Winterbotham said he expects the Vols to look entirely different a month from now as the top three freshmen in the lineup gain valuable dual match experience, particularly with the three matches coming at ITA National Team Indoors.
"We're just happy that they're learning, they're buying in," Winterbotham said. "The team's about as close as I've ever seen our team, and we've had really close teams."
Tennessee does not start the ITA National Team Indoors until Feb. 17, but the Vols do have matches before then. The Vols host Illinois on Feb. 5.
Singles
1. #125 Mikelis Libietis (UT) def. Nik Scholtz (OM) 6-4, 4-6, 6-3
2. #27 Marcel Thiemann (OM) def. Brandon Fickey (UT) 6-2, 6-1
3. #119 Hunter Reese (UT) def. #98 Jonas Lutjen (OM) 1-6, 7-5, 6-3
4. Jarryd Chaplin (UT) def. William Kallberg (OM) 6-3, 6-4
5. Chris Thiemann (OM) def. Edward Jones (UT) 7-6 (7-5), 6-2
6. Johan Backstrom (OM) def. #117 Taylor Patrick (UT) 2-6, 6-4, 6-0
Doubles
1. Hunter Reese/Mikelis Libietis (UT) def. Chris Thiemann/Marcel Thiemann (OM) 8-3
2. Brandon Fickey/Edward Jones (UT) vs. Jonas Lutjen/Nik Scholtz (OM) 4-6, DNF
3. Jarryd Chaplin/Peter Nagovnak (UT) def. Johan Backstrom/William Kallberg (OM) 8-6
Order of finish: Doubles (1,3); Singles (2,4,6,5,1,3)
Players Mentioned
