DePaul University
Lafayette
On Brink of Defeat, DePaul Stuns Louisiana
3/2/2018 12:00:00 AM | MEN'S TENNIS
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas - They went deep into the Texas night, a four-hour tennis marathon with dramatic tiebreakers seemingly at every turn.
The Blue Demons fell behind Louisiana Lafayette 3-0 and were on the brink of defeat when something about this team's character and fortitude simply refused to let them lose.
It was Alex Galoustian who began the rally at No. 1 singles and before you knew it, DePaul had emerged with a grueling, inspiring 4-3 comeback win at the H-E-B Tournament of Champions on Friday.
Boris Spanjaard kept the suspense going with a 4-6, 6-2, 6-3 decision over Vlad Kramarov at No. 2 singles. This was about the time coach Matt Brothers' band began entertaining a possibility that was mostly remote half an hour earlier.
Tripp Tuff had one of the most demanding singles matches of the tournament, losing the first set 6-7 after four tiebreakers and bouncing back for a 6-3 verdict in the ensuing set.
The sophomore from Watermill, N.Y. realized he had absolutely no margin for error. One slip, one fault and the Ragin' Cajuns would break into celebration. Tuff and Pierce Gilheany, a freshman from Melbourne, Australia, battled to five tiebreakers before Tuff emerged with a 7-6 win.
The scoreboard read 3-3, and it all came down to the doubles point at this tournament where the tandems play after the solos.
Now that the playing field was level, the pressure was equal on both sides. Tamas Zador and Fran Tonecj led off with a 6-4 win over the Cajuns' No. 3 duo.
Lafayette (11-8) fought back and claimed the No. 2 doubles match 7-6 in four tiebreakers. That set the stage for No. 1 doubles Galoustian and Spanjaard versus Arthur Libaud and Jamie Fraser.
Of course, the defining match wound up 6-6 and required three tiebreakers that eventually went DePaul's way as the Band of Brothers improved to 11-4.
The Blue Demons return to the HEB Tennis Center at 9 a.m. Saturday in the fifth-place match.
DePaul 4, Louisiana Lafayette 3
Singles
1. Alex Galoustian (DEPAUL) def. Nico Sojka (LL) 6-1, 4-6, 6-1
2. Boris Spanjaard (DEPAUL) def. Vlad Kramarov (LL) 4-6, 6-2, 6-3
3. Elio Lago (LL) def. Tamas Zador (DEPAUL) 6-0, 7-5
4. Arthur Libaud (LL) def. Fran Tonejc (DEPAUL) 6-0, 6-2
5. Trip Tuff (DEPAUL) def. Pierce Gilheany (LL) 6-7 (4), 6-3, 7-6 (5)
6. Jamie Fraser (LL) def. Conor O'Meara (DEPAUL) 6-0, 6-1
Doubles
1. Galoustian/Spanjaard (DEPAUL) def. Lago/Kramarov (LL) 7-6 (3)
2. Dolan/Gilheany (LL) def. Tuff/O'Meara (DEPAUL) 7-6 (4)
3. Zador/Tonejc (DEPAUL) def. Libaurd/Fraser (LL) 6-4
Players Mentioned
