Jeff Brian (pictured) team with Felipe Soares to win No. 2 doubles against Stanford.

January 26, 2013

PALO ALTO, Calif. - No. 29 Texas Tech had its chances, but No. 10 Stanford outlasted the Red Raiders, 4-2, in the consolation match at the ITA Kickoff Weekend at the Taube Family Tennis Stadium on Saturday.

It was Texas Tech's third straight loss to a team in the ITA Top 30, as the Red Raiders fell to No. 27 San Diego (4-3) and No. 11 Mississippi State (5-2) in the last seven days.

"What a heartbreaker, "said Texas Tech head coach Tim Siegel. "We were down 3-2 in matches and had the lead 3-2 and up a break in the third set in the two remaining matches, but came up short. We battled two Top 25 teams, but came up short twice."

Jeff Bryan and Felipe Soares picked up the first win of the day for Texas Tech, as the duo topped Jamin Ball and Denis Lin at No. 2 doubles, 8-7. Stanford answered with an 8-5 win at No. 1 doubles, as the duo of John Morrissey and Matt Kansath topped Tech's Gabriel Dias and Vitor Manzini.

The doubles point came down to battle at No. 3, where Red Raiders Gabriel Wanderley and Francisco Zambon battled Maciek Romanowicz. A late break by Stanford let the Cardinal secure the doubles point.

Soares then tied the match score, 1-1, with a quick dispatching of Anthony Tsodikov, 6-1, 7-5, at No. 6.

Stanford's Romanowicz answered for Stanford, with a 6-1, 7-5 win over Wanderley at No. 4, but Dias rolled to a 6-2, 7-5 win over Kandath to knot the team score at 2-2.

Zambon then lost in three sets to Nolan Paige, 5-7, 6-3, 6-1, giving the Cardinal a 3-2 lead with two matches remaining.

It came down to a battle at No. 1, where No. 39 Morrissey topped Manzini in three sets, 6-4, 4-6, 6-2, to give Stanford the win.

ITA Kickoff Weekend
Palo Alto, Calif. / Taube Family Tennis Stadium
No. 10 Stanford 4, No. 27 Texas Tech 2

DOUBLES
1. John Morrissey / Matt Kandath (STAN) d. Gabriel Dias / Vitor Manzini (TT), 8-5
2. Jeff Bryan / Felipe Soares (TT) d. Jamin Ball / Denis Lin (STAN), 8-7
3) Maciek Romanowicz / Robert Stineman (STAN) d. Gabriel Wanderley / Francisco Zambon (TT), 8-6
SINGLES
1. No. 39 John Morrissey (STAN) d. Vitor Manzini (TT), 6-4, 4-6, 6-2
2. Gabriel Dias (TT) d. Matt Kandath (STAN), 6-2, 7-5
3. Nolan Paige (STAN) d. Francisco Zambon (TT), 5-7, 6-3, 6-1
4. Maciek Romanowicz (STAN) d. Gabriel Wanderley (TT), 6-1, 7-5
5. Robert Stineman (STAN) vs. Raphael Pfister (TT), abandoned
6. Felipe Soares (TT) d. Anthony Tsodikov (STAN), 6-1, 7-5
Order of Finish: Singles (6,4,2,3,1), Doubles (2,1,3)
Records: Stanford 2-1, Texas Tech 3-3