Rams come so close yet so far

Seemingly drained from doubles action, No. 21 VCU rallied but was unable to get the job done in singles competition and fell 4-3 to No. 11 Ohio State Sunday at Thalhimer Tennis Center.

From the very beginning it was clear both teams were not heading home without a fight. Many matches were close, pushing into a third set, and a doubles match stretched into a tiebreaker.

VCU coach Paul Kostin, who is in his 16th season coaching the Rams, was disappointed after losing such a close match.

“It could have gone either way,” he said. “I just don’t like to lose it at home.”

After sealing the doubles portion, the Buckeyes took the lead 3-0 relatively quickly after Petr Olsak (Novy Jicin, Czech Rep.) fell 6-1, 6-2 to Chris Klingemann, and Sergi Arumi (Barcelona, Spain) lost his match against Ross Wilson 6-3, 6-4.

That then put the Rams in a precarious position. In order to leave victorious, VCU would have to win the rest of its matches.

No. 29 junior Arnaud Lecloerec (Plouhinec, Fance), who jumped from the No. 52 in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association rankings last week after defeating then fifth-ranked Raian Luchici Feb. 18, was the first to get on the board for the Rams.

After Lecloerec took care of Bryan Koniecko 6-2, 6-4, 67th-ranked Georges-Alexandre Israel (Marseille, France) won a grueling match 6-2, 1-6, 6-4 over Steven Moneke.

Having already won the first set, Damien Lacombe (Perigueux, France) led Scott Green 5-3 and looked to wrap up his match. The pressure was then on senior Francesc Lleal (Barcelona, Spain) to secure the victory.

Unfortunately for the Rams, Lleal fell 6-4, 2-6, 6-3, and the Buckeyes sealed the win before Lacombe finished his match.

Lecloerec said he was not happy with coming so close to victory and walking away with a loss.

“We know in singles we are better,” he said. “In the end it comes down to one match.”

He said the match was similar to the loss to North Carolina one week ago, placing the emphasis on doubles matchups.

“Once again, same ending,” he said. “We’re a better team but we lose 4-3. We lost the doubles match once again. Every time we lose doubles points we struggle.”

Before the singles play, Lecloerec and partner Olsak did everything in their power to lead the Rams to doubles success.

VCU pair Sebastian Ripoll (Mauleon-Soule, France) and Emil Lindgren (Stocksund, Sweden) fell 8-3, and Lleal and Arumi were deadlocked in a 7-7 battle, so it was up to Lecloerec and Olsak to maintain their lead and seal a win to keep the hope of the doubles point alive.

The pair had their hands full with the Buckeyes tandem of seniors Wilson and Green, ranked no. 1 in the ITA Division I doubles poll. Lecloerec and Olsak were ready, however, and stood in control for most of the first-to-eight game set before falling in the tiebreaker.

“(The doubles match) was one of the best matches we’ve played this year,” Lecloerec said. “We had the lead but then it comes down to the tiebreaker. I have nothing to say, they played great.”

Kostin said the doubles loss was key in the outcome.

“They got the doubles match point, they played very hard and they hung in there and put us away.”

Kostin said the Rams look to improve Sunday when they host Southern Methodist.

“We have to play better, number one. We’re going to keep on going, there might be some changes but we’ll see next week.”