Monday, February 17
Madison, Wis.
10:00 AM
USC
4
vs
1
North Carolina
Players Mentioned
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
Photo by: Jacob Dye
No. 1 USC Wins ITA National Team Indoor Championship
February 17, 2020 | Men's Tennis, Features
It’s the fourth title at the event for the Trojans, with this one clinched by sophomore Mor Bulis.
MADISON, WISC. — The top-ranked USC men's tennis team captured the program's fourth ITA National Team Indoor Championship title today with a 4-1 win over No. 5 North Carolina. USC's last championship at the event was in 2012, and the Trojans also claimed the crowns in 1987 and 1988. Today, the Trojans came to play in Madison, Wisc. USC had set up camp in town a week ago for a dual match with the Badgers, and the Trojans' run to the ITA title earned them an extended stay.
After a dramatic 4-3 comeback win over No. 13 Michigan in the semifinals, the Trojans buckled right back in for today's title match. The doubles point came down to a tiebreaker on court one after the Tar Heels won a quick on one court three and USC's Mor Bulis and Brandon Holt responded with a quick-fire answer for the Trojans on court two. At the top spot, USC's #58 Daniel Cukierman and Riley Smith trailed in the tiebreaker, but battled back to claim a 7-6 (5) win over Blumberg/Cernoch and plug a 1-0 lead on the board for the Trojans.
In singles, USC's #24 Brandon Holt, who had battled illness all week, had to retire from his match with William Blumberg on court one. That gave the Tar Heels a point to tie it up 1-1, but the Trojans were undeterred. Holt's fellow captain, #1 Daniel Cukierman, shouldered the load on court two and spun a 6-2, 6-1 win over #60 Ben Sigouin to tug the Trojans back ahead, up 2-1.
Cukierman's straight-set trend continued for the Trojans. On court five, #65 freshman Stefan Dostanic stood tall with a smooth 6-1, 6-4 win over Brian Cernoch to get USC into winning position, up 3-1. As matches on courts three and six stayed tight, #15 Mor Bulis hit the gas in his match on court four. The sophomore secured the championship for his Trojans on his 6-3, 6-1 win over #80 Josh Peck, and USC hit celebration mode on the indoor courts in Madison.
USC is now 9-1 overall on the year, with its lone loss coming at No. 2 Ohio State. The Buckeyes had fallen to North Carolina in the ITA Indoor semifinals for their first loss, which kept Ohio State from defending its 2019 title at the event.
Daniel Cukierman was perfect in doubles and singles throughout the tourney, winning all four doubles matches with Riley Smith at the top spot and collecting four singles wins. Cukierman had the comeback clincher to beat No. 13 Michigan in the semifinals yesterday. He also posted a three-set clincher in the Round of 16 win over No. 11 TCU. Smith also was undefeated this week, winning those four doubles matches with Cukierman and claiming two singles wins with two matches suspended by Trojan victories.
At the end of the tourney, USC had three singles players and one doubles pair named to the ITA National Team Indoor All-Tournament Team:
No. 2 singles — Daniel Cukierman
No. 4 singles — Mor Bulis
No. 5 singles — Stefan Dostanic
No. 1 doubles — Daniel Cukierman & Riley Smith
USC now returns home to Marks Stadium to set up for a doubleheader on Saturday (Feb. 22). The Trojans will face Air Force at 10 a.m. and Army at 2 p.m. that day.
2020 ITA NATIONAL TEAM INDOOR CHAMPIONSHIP
CHAMPIONSHIP
#1 USC 4, #5 North Carolina 1
Feb. 17, 2020 | Madison, Wisc.
DOUBLES
(1) #58 Cukierman/R. Smith (USC) def. Blumberg/Cernoch (UNC) - 7-6 (5)
(2) Bulis/Holt (USC) def. #3 Kiger/Soendergaard (UNC) - 6-2
(3) Hijikata/Sigouin (UNC) def. Dostanic/Frye (USC) - 6-2
Order of finish: 3, 2, 1
USC wins doubles point.
SINGLES
(1) William Blumberg (UNC) def. #24 Brandon Holt (USC) - 6-0 ret.
(2) #1 Daniel Cukierman (USC) def. #60 Ben Sigouin (UNC) - 6-2, 6-1
(3) #33 Riley Smith (USC) vs. Rinky Hijikata (UNC) - 7-6 (2), 2-3 susp.
(4) #15 Mor Bulis (USC) def. #80 Josh Peck - 6-3, 6-1*
(5) #65 Stefan Dostanic (USC) def. Brian Cernoch (UNC) - 6-1, 6-4
(6) #119 Bradley Frye (USC) vs. Simon Soendergaard (UNC) - 0-6, 6-3, 0-1 susp.
Order of finish: 1, 2, 5, 4*
After a dramatic 4-3 comeback win over No. 13 Michigan in the semifinals, the Trojans buckled right back in for today's title match. The doubles point came down to a tiebreaker on court one after the Tar Heels won a quick on one court three and USC's Mor Bulis and Brandon Holt responded with a quick-fire answer for the Trojans on court two. At the top spot, USC's #58 Daniel Cukierman and Riley Smith trailed in the tiebreaker, but battled back to claim a 7-6 (5) win over Blumberg/Cernoch and plug a 1-0 lead on the board for the Trojans.
In singles, USC's #24 Brandon Holt, who had battled illness all week, had to retire from his match with William Blumberg on court one. That gave the Tar Heels a point to tie it up 1-1, but the Trojans were undeterred. Holt's fellow captain, #1 Daniel Cukierman, shouldered the load on court two and spun a 6-2, 6-1 win over #60 Ben Sigouin to tug the Trojans back ahead, up 2-1.
Cukierman's straight-set trend continued for the Trojans. On court five, #65 freshman Stefan Dostanic stood tall with a smooth 6-1, 6-4 win over Brian Cernoch to get USC into winning position, up 3-1. As matches on courts three and six stayed tight, #15 Mor Bulis hit the gas in his match on court four. The sophomore secured the championship for his Trojans on his 6-3, 6-1 win over #80 Josh Peck, and USC hit celebration mode on the indoor courts in Madison.
USC is now 9-1 overall on the year, with its lone loss coming at No. 2 Ohio State. The Buckeyes had fallen to North Carolina in the ITA Indoor semifinals for their first loss, which kept Ohio State from defending its 2019 title at the event.
Daniel Cukierman was perfect in doubles and singles throughout the tourney, winning all four doubles matches with Riley Smith at the top spot and collecting four singles wins. Cukierman had the comeback clincher to beat No. 13 Michigan in the semifinals yesterday. He also posted a three-set clincher in the Round of 16 win over No. 11 TCU. Smith also was undefeated this week, winning those four doubles matches with Cukierman and claiming two singles wins with two matches suspended by Trojan victories.
At the end of the tourney, USC had three singles players and one doubles pair named to the ITA National Team Indoor All-Tournament Team:
No. 2 singles — Daniel Cukierman
No. 4 singles — Mor Bulis
No. 5 singles — Stefan Dostanic
No. 1 doubles — Daniel Cukierman & Riley Smith
USC now returns home to Marks Stadium to set up for a doubleheader on Saturday (Feb. 22). The Trojans will face Air Force at 10 a.m. and Army at 2 p.m. that day.
2020 ITA NATIONAL TEAM INDOOR CHAMPIONSHIP
CHAMPIONSHIP
#1 USC 4, #5 North Carolina 1
Feb. 17, 2020 | Madison, Wisc.
DOUBLES
(1) #58 Cukierman/R. Smith (USC) def. Blumberg/Cernoch (UNC) - 7-6 (5)
(2) Bulis/Holt (USC) def. #3 Kiger/Soendergaard (UNC) - 6-2
(3) Hijikata/Sigouin (UNC) def. Dostanic/Frye (USC) - 6-2
Order of finish: 3, 2, 1
USC wins doubles point.
SINGLES
(1) William Blumberg (UNC) def. #24 Brandon Holt (USC) - 6-0 ret.
(2) #1 Daniel Cukierman (USC) def. #60 Ben Sigouin (UNC) - 6-2, 6-1
(3) #33 Riley Smith (USC) vs. Rinky Hijikata (UNC) - 7-6 (2), 2-3 susp.
(4) #15 Mor Bulis (USC) def. #80 Josh Peck - 6-3, 6-1*
(5) #65 Stefan Dostanic (USC) def. Brian Cernoch (UNC) - 6-1, 6-4
(6) #119 Bradley Frye (USC) vs. Simon Soendergaard (UNC) - 0-6, 6-3, 0-1 susp.
Order of finish: 1, 2, 5, 4*
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