Freshman Sebastian Fanselow and senior Bassam Beidas gave some of their best performances of the season this weekend in the Lone Star State but the 24th-ranked Waves were unable to scrape up a win. The team beared a 6-1 defeat against No. 18 Texas A&M on Friday and presented a tough challenge against No. 5 Texas on Sunday in a 4-3 loss.
“It was a major downer losing as a team but we were very close to defeating a top team on the road Beidas said. Texas is one of the favorites to win the whole NCAA Championship this year.”
Playing in the No. 2 singles position Friday Fanselow earned the only individual win against the Aggies as the No. 110-ranked Wave upset the No. 30 nationally ranked opponent Jeff Dadamo. The 6-2 6-4 win makes for the young Wave’s sixth win against nationally ranked opponents this season compared to two losses.
The Aggies fought for their singles points pushing three of the other five singles events into a tiebreaking third set before earning the win. In doubles sophomore Hugh Clarke and freshman Finn Tearney took the only win at the No. 2 position with an 8-4 score.
In Austin the Longhorns took the doubles point despite the Wave-favoring upset in the No. 1 doubles position.
Beidas and senior Alex Llompart ranked No. 25 as a duo stole the win from the No. 4-ranked doubles team in the nation with a 9-8 effort.
“Alex and I saw how close the other matches were and knew that if we could somehow stay in the match and sneak a victory it would be a big boost to the other two teams Beidas said. Unfortunately we weren’t able to come away with the doubles point.”
Beidas ranked No. 40 individually claimed a dominating victory in the No. 1 singles position with a 6-1 6-0 sweep over Dimitar Kutrovsky the No. 7 nationally ranked player.
“I didn’t really consider it an upset as I know that I’m around the same level as those guys Beidas said, but I just haven’t performed up to the best standards as of late. I knew I had to stick with it and I felt my game matched up really well against his.”
Fanselow had another impressive singles win in the No. 2 position. In a 4-6 6-3 1-0 victory he came out on top over 12th-ranked Longhorn opponent Ed Corrie. Llompart had an individual win at No. 3 singles winning the duel 6-3 6-0.
But Texas won the remaining three singles events and having clinched the doubles point the Longhorns just barely prevailed.
“We just weren’t able to do enough Beidas said. To beat a team that good we needed a little more from everyone. We have to take heart and inspiration from what we did well and just keep working.”
The Waves return to their home court on Saturday against Illinois at 1 p.m.
