Some will call it a wake-up call. Others will call it a
fortuitous escape.
Whatever it was, the match was much closer than it was expected
to be.
The No. 2 UCLA men’s tennis team squeaked by Oklahoma
State Thursday in the first round of the National Team Indoors in
Chicago, advancing to the quarterfinals with a 4-2 victory that was
much closer than the final score indicated.
“It was too close to be a wake-up call,” said
Benjamin Kohlloeffel, who clinched the match with a 6-1, 6-7(2),
7-6(3) victory over Tomas Bohunicky at the No. 2 position.
Down 5-4 in the third set and in danger of losing his match,
Kohlloeffel fought off two Cowboy match points to keep his team in
the tournament. Had he lost, the Bruins (9-0) would have most
likely suffered a heartbreaking 4-3 defeat.
“He lost it more than I won it,” Kohlloeffel said.
“If we lose that point, it’s over.”
After absolutely dominating its competition in the first eight
matches, all of which were played at home, UCLA was pushed to the
brink by the No. 25 Cowboys. From this point forward, the
competition will only get tougher, starting today with ninth-seeded
Virginia.
“We are very, very fortunate to have won,” coach
Billy Martin said.
UCLA uncharacteristically lost the doubles point on Thursday,
with Kohlloeffel and Luben Pampoulov at No. 1 and Philipp Gruendler
and Mathieu Dehaine at No. 3 both suffering defeats. Gruendler and
Dehaine led 7-3 at one point, with Dehaine serving for the match,
but lost 9-7 to confirm that the Bruins would head into singles
trailing for the first time all season.
“(Oklahoma State) thought we looked vulnerable after
that,” Martin said. “And I don’t blame
them.”
Fortunately for Martin and the Bruins, Alberto Francis and Kris
Kwinta carried some momentum from doubles into singles, registering
straight-set victories at the No. 4 and No. 5 positions.
Senior Chris Lam also won in straight sets, while Pampoulov, who
has been hampered by a neck injury, lost in three sets at the No. 1
spot. Freshman Jeremy Drean, in his first taste of a really intense
college tennis match, was trailing 5-3 in the third set when
Kohlloeffel pulled out his amazing victory.
“Oklahoma State played well,” Martin said. “It
wasn’t like we played horribly.”
They certainly didn’t play their best tennis, either.
But since the Bruins did win, a nearly demoralizing negative
becomes a certain positive.
“It’s good to have such a close one,”
Kohlloeffel said. “It’s very good for all of
us.”
“Of course it’s good,” Martin added.
“Especially winning. It really wakes us up.”