#14 Tennessee Defeats NC State, 4-2, Advancing to the NCAA Super Regionals

Saturday, May 4

Knoxville, TN

2 PM

University of Tennessee

NC State

#14 Tennessee Defeats NC State, 4-2, Advancing to the NCAA Super Regionals

May 04, 2019 | Men's Tennis

Box Score

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – With a dramatic, 4-2, win over NC State on Saturday afternoon at the Goodfriend Tennis Center, 14th-ranked Tennessee advances to the Round of 16 for the first time since 2014.

With the chance to advance on the line, Adam Walton, the nation's 51st-ranked singles player, sealed the match victory for the Vols on court two over Igor Saveljic, 6-3, 6-7 (4-7), 7-5. Walton's win sends the Vols back to Florida to face off with the Gators where it was Walton in the SEC Tournament semifinal, who eliminated Florida on its home court.

It is the 19th time UT has advanced to the Round of 16 in program history.

"I am really proud of our guys," head coach Chris Woodruff said. "We knew coming in to it that they have a really good team, we have a good team, and that it just takes a few breaks here and there. Adam Walton came through at the end but really it was a team effort. I told our guys that we have a lot of ways to hurt you and that the doubles point was really important. I am just very proud of our guys."

The Vols (22-7) kicked off the day with a doubles point win courtesy of No. 6 Preston Touliatos/Timo Stodder on court one and Adam Walton/Andrew Rogers on court three.

Touliatos/Stodder finished first in doubles with a 6-2 win over No. 44 Alexis Galarneau/Michael Ogden. Walton/Rogers clinched the doubles point and gave Tennessee a 1-0 lead with a 6-3 victory over Tadas Babelis/Yannai Barkai.

Touliatos continued his strong weekend with a, 6-4, 6-2, victory over Barkai at court five to extend the Vols lead to 2-0. The senior picked up wins in both of his doubles and singles matches this weekend.

NC State battled back to tie the match at, 2-2, with wins on courts three and four before No. 23 Stodder gave Tennessee the lead once again at, 3-2.

Stodder battled hard with No. 21 Galarneau going a full three sets. The senior won the opening set, 6-3, but dropped the second, 2-6. Stodder and Galarneau battled to a, 3-3, tie in the third set before Stodder took the victory, 7-5.

That's where Walton picked up the mantle and brought home the victory over on court two, sending Tennessee back to Gainesville next weekend and to the Round of 16.

UP NEXT

The Vols travel to Gainesville to take on the No. 3 seed Florida Gators in the Round of 16. This will be Tennessee's third meeting with the Gators this season. The Vols notched a, 4-3, comeback win over Florida in the SEC Tournament semifinal just two weeks ago.

BOX SCORE

#14 Tennessee 4, #19 NC State 2

Singles

1. #23 Timo Stodder (UT) def. #21 Alexis Galarneau (ST) 6-3, 2-6, 7-5
2. #51 Adam Walton (UT) def. Igor Saveljic (ST) 6-3, 6-7 (4-7), 7-5
3. Tadas Babelis (ST) def. Scott Jones (UT) 6-4, 2-6, 6-3
4. Robert Turzak (ST) def. Luca Wiedenmann (UT) 2-6, 6-3, 6-1
5. Preston Touliatos (UT) def. Yannai Barkai (ST) 6-4, 6-2
6. Andrew Rogers (UT) vs. Georgiy Malyshev (ST) 7-5, 6-7 (6-8), 3-4, unfinished

Doubles

1. #6 Timo Stodder/Preston Touliatos (UT) def. #44 Alexis Galarneau/Michael Ogden (ST) 6-2
2. Scott Jones/Pat Harper (UT) vs. Igor Saveljic/Ivan Saveljic (ST) 3-3, unfinished
3. Adam Walton/Andrew Rogers (UT) def. Tadas Babelis/Yannai Barkai (ST) 6-3

Order of Finish: Doubles (1,3); Singles (5,3,4,1,2)