Brian Caffarel
For the No. 36 men’s tennis team (8-1) to mount a comeback win against No. 56 Old Dominion (5-2), it needed to win its final three matches. One such match required junior Nick Cavaday to upset ODU sophomore Harel Srugo, the No. 8 player in the land.
And though the Wolfpack eventually lost to the Monarchs 4-3, Cavaday outlasted Srugo 6-1, 3-6, 7-6 (6), in a match that lasted more than two hours. Srugo is the highest-ranked player beaten by a State player in coach Jon Choboy’s five-year tenure.
Cavaday had his back against the ropes, trailing 6-5 in the decisive third set after winning the first set and losing the second. He trailed love-40, but saved three straight match points to send the match into a tiebreak. Srugo then forced another tiebreaker before Cavaday finally won.
Cavaday said the match was a grueling battle.
“To come out and play for three and a half hours, including doubles, you’re going to be tired at the end of it,” Cavaday said. “I was fatigued at the end, and so was he. We were both struggling, but it was just whoever managed to make a couple of extra balls was going to win the match, and that’s what it came down to. It’s one point either way. If it bounces his way, it’s his match; if it bounces my way then it’s my match.”
Cavaday said the key to winning such a close match was focusing on his game and not worrying about Srugo’s ranking or strategy.
“I just played my game and focused on what I was doing and not focusing on the other side of the court, and in the end, it came out good,” Cavaday said. “I’ve seen guys come [back] and win matches when they’re down, and luckily I was able to do that today.”
According to Choboy, the Pack needed more performances like Cavaday’s in order to win.
“We needed a few more performances like that from other guys,” Choboy said. “That team played really well. I knew they were a good team; I knew it was going to be a tough match.”
Although Cavaday and junior Ben Zink lost their first doubles match of the season, the doubles tandem of freshman James McGee and sophomore Jay Weinacker as well as the duo of senior William Noblitt and sophomore Christian Welte, prevailed to win the doubles point for the team.
The Pack then lost the No. 2, 3 and 4 matches consecutively before Cavaday’s upset. Senior Andre Iriarte then handled ODU’s Rodrigo Souza to tie the match at 3-3. Zink lost 6-2, 6-2 in the game-deciding match to seal the win for the Monarchs.
According to Cavaday, his own performance bears little significance in wake of a team loss.
“The most important thing for me is that the team wins,” Cavaday said. “If I lose my match and the team wins, I’m much happier.”
Choboy said the team will look to use the close loss as a learning experience for close matches the Pack will see in upcoming ACC competition. He also credited ODU for an impressive outing on the road.
“Coaches don’t know how good these guys [ODU] are,” Choboy said. “They’re a good team and it was a great college match. We’ve just got to execute a little better in pressure situations. We’ll just come out and get back at it.”