University of Minnesota Athletics
Gophers Grind Out 4-3 Win Over Virginia Tech
2/5/2011 12:00:00 AM | Men's Tennis
The Minnesota men’s tennis team continued its winning ways with a 4-3 triumph over of 28th-ranked Virginia Tech at the Baseline Tennis Center on Friday night. Tobias Wernet’s three-set win over Pedro Graber at the No. 3 position sealed the victory, which improved the Gophers’ record to 3-1.
“It’s a good win against a good team,” said Minnesota head coach Geoff Young. “They are a very similar team to us and that’s why it was such a close match. It’s good to win the close ones, but we need to win these kind of matches at home.”
The Gophers fell behind after conceding the doubles point with losses at the top two positions, but Julian Dehn and Brendan Ruddock were able to escape with an 8-7 (6) win at No. 3 to avoid being swept.
Minnesota recovered quickly, however, taking the lead with straight-set wins by No. 5 Ruddock and No. 4 Phillip Arndt. The Hokies answered with a win at the top flight when Luka Somen took down the Gophers’ Rok Bonin, tying the match 2-2.
Dehn then gave Minnesota the advantage with a lengthy two-set win over Trpimir Kujundzic at No. 6. Dehn took the first set 6-4, but needed to wash out several set points to take the second set 7-6 (8) and avoid playing a decisive third set. Wernet won the clinching match soon after, vanquishing Graber 6-3, 4-6, 6-3.
“[Graber] was a difficult player to play against,” Young said of Wernet’s opponent. “He’s not a typical type of player to play against, so it kind of got him off his rhythm. [Wernet] came through in the end."
The win was the Gophers’ second straight victory over a team ranked in the top 30 of the Campbell/ITA College Tennis Rankings. Minnesota beat then-No. 28 Fresno State last Saturday in Los Angeles.
The Gophers return to the courts on Sunday at noon to face No. 35 Boise State before opening their Big Ten schedule by traveling to Wisconsin next Sunday.
Virginia Tech vs Minnesota (Feb 4, 2011)
#30 Minnesota 4, #28 Virginia Tech 3

Feb 4, 2011 at Minneapolis, MN (Baseline Tennis Center)
Singles
 competition
1. Luka Somen (VT) def. Rok Bonin (MINN) 6-2, 6-4
2. Patrick Daciek (VT) def. Sebastian Gallego (MINN) 1-6, 7-5, 6-3
3. Tobias Wernet (MINN) def. Pedro Graber (VT) 6-3, 4-6, 6-3
4. Phillip Arndt (MINN) def. Will Beck (VT) 7-6, 6-2
5. Brendan Ruddock (MINN) def. Corrado Degl' Incerti Tocci (VT) 6-4, 6-2
6. Julian Dehn (MINN) def. Trpimir Kujundzic (VT) 6-4, 7-6 (8)
Doubles
 competition
1. Beck/Graber (VT) def. Arndt/Gallego (MINN) 8-4
2. Somen/Tocci (VT) def. Bonin/Wernet (MINN) 8-5
3. Dehn/Ruddock (MINN) def. Sebastien Jacques/Daciek (VT) 8-7 (6)
Match Notes 

Minnesota 3-1; National ranking #30
Virginia Tech 2-3; National ranking #28
Order of finish: Doubles (1,2,3); Singles (5,4,1,6,3,2)
Players Mentioned
