No. 1 m. tennis move two steps closer to destiny of NCAA title
By Daily Bruin Staff
May 19, 1996 9:00 p.m.
Monday, May 20, 1996
Undefeated Bruins reach semifinalsBy Mark Shapiro
Daily Bruin Staff
The UCLA men’s tennis team got its chase for the NCAA title off
to a solid start this weekend in Athens, Ga., as it took its
first-round match over New Mexico 4-2 on Saturday and advanced to
the semifinals with a 4-0 sweep of Florida State the following
day.
The Bruins came into the tournament as the top seed in the draw
and the only undefeated team in the nation. The Lobos came into the
match carrying a respectable 15-7 record and had first crack at the
heavily favored UCLA squad.
New Mexico’s surprised the Bruins in doubles play. Even though
they boasted two pairs among the top 50 in the nation, including
No. 1 Justin Gimelstob and Srdjan Muskatirovic, UCLA struggled and
lost the doubles point.
Gimelstob and Muskatirovic squeaked past the Lobo team of Tad
Berkowitz and Javier Gutierrez 9-8, but Jason Thompson and Eric Lin
fell at the two spot by the same score. Matt Breen and Eric Taino
also lost, falling to Jason Cook and Jeff Williams 8-6.
Trailing by one point at the start of singles play, the Bruins
had to count on their devastating singles lineup to see them
through. Squeaked by is more like it as five of the six matches
went to three sets.
Gimelstob continued his dominating play as he stomped Berkowitz
at the No. 1 singles position, 6-3, 6-3. In the third spot,
however, Taino’s struggles in doubles carried over to singles as he
lost to Gutierrez 7-6 , 3-6, 6-2.
The rest of the singles matches were all UCLA as Heath
Montgomery edged Jason Cook 6-7, 6-4, 7-6 at No. 4, Breen toppled
Pepe Caballero 3-6, 7-5, 6-1 at five, and Vincent Allegre won at
six after his opponent Pablo Fernandez retired in the third set.
Muskatirovic’s three-setter was suspended once the Bruins clinched
the match.
Sunday was a different story for the Bruins as they took on the
Seminoles. After taking the doubles point, UCLA made quick work in
singles. Muskatirovic, Taino, and Montgomery all won in straight
sets to secure the match for the Bruins.
SCOTT O/Daily Bruin
Matt Breen helped UCLA to the second-round of the NCAA
Championships with a victory over New Mexico’s Pepe Caballero.
