MADISON, Wis. – Any doubts about whether this year's Border Battle would be close between #33 Wisconsin (10-2, 2-0) and #32 Minnesota (10-4, 0-1) dissolved with an epic 4-3 Badger win this afternoon at Nielsen Tennis Stadium.
Â
The Badgers gained the doubles point for the 12
th consecutive time this season and beat the Gophers 2-0 thanks to efforts from No. 1 doubles pair juniors
Chema Carranza and
Josef Dodridge, as well as No. 2 doubles tandem freshman
Chase Colton and junior
Lamar Remy.
Â
Remy and Colton quickly gathered the first win over Minnesota's Marino Alpeza and Justyn Levin, 6-3, to move to 10-2 on the year.
Â
Dodridge and Carranza were met with greater resistance. The duo battled to a 6-6 stalemate before claiming a 7-4 tiebreaker to beat the duo of Matic Spec and Felix Corwin, 7-6.
Â
The intensity and closeness in doubles only increased in singles play.
Â
Daniel Soyfer was the first Badger to strike gold in the singles category, beating Marino Alpeza in two sets, 7-6, 6-2.
Â
"It's all about competing," Soyfer relayed. "It's about never giving up and fighting to the very end no matter what."
Â
The Badger freshman is now 9-2 in the dual season.
Â
But after Remy and Carranza suffered losses at the No. 1 and No. 3 positions respectively, Wisconsin and Minnesota were deadlocked at 2-2 in the team score.
Â
It was sophomore
Osgar O'Hoisin who gave the Badgers their next burst, winning at the No. 4 spot over Eli Ogilvy in three sets, 6-3, 3-6, 6-3.
Â
Wisconsin didn't hold the 3-2 lead for long, as Josip Krstanovich handed freshman
Chase Colton a loss at the No. 5 spot, 7-6, 6-4.
Â
Wisconsin and Minnesota were all tied up at 3-3 with one match still in play: Dodridge vs. Minnesota's Felix Corwin at the No. 2 singles spot.
Â
Dodridge won the first set 7-5, but surrendered the second set 3-6 and started the third down 0-3.
Â
But the lively Nielsen crowd coupled with a strong backing from Badgers who finished play gave Dodridge just the boost he needed.
Â
The junior ripped off six straight games to claim the third set, 6-3, and clinch the Badger Win.
Â
"There was so much going through my mind and it's tough to keep your composure through these kinds of situations," an exuberant Dodridge said. "When I fell behind 3-0 in the third set, I just told myself I had to get back to what I do best. In tight situations, when you do the basics well, you tend to come through."
Â
And he did just that.
Â
Wisconsin gets a much-deserved week off next week but are back in action on March 22, as they take on San Diego in California. Â
Â
Â
Â
#1 DOUBLES
|
  1 Â
|
  2 Â
|
  3 Â
|
Notes
|
Matic Spec/Felix Corwin, University of Minnesota
|
6
|
|
|
Order of finish: 2
|
|
7
|
|
|
|
|
#2 DOUBLES
|
  1 Â
|
  2 Â
|
  3 Â
|
Notes
|
Marino Alpeza/Justyn Levin, University of Minnesota
|
3
|
|
|
Order of finish: 1
|
|
6
|
|
|
|
|
#3 DOUBLES
|
  1 Â
|
  2 Â
|
  3 Â
|
Notes
|
Eli Ogilvy/Stefan Milicevic, University of Minnesota
|
6
|
|
|
|
|
5
|
|
|
|
 |
#1 SINGLES
|
  1 Â
|
  2 Â
|
  3 Â
|
Notes
|
Matic Spec, University of Minnesota
|
6
|
7
|
|
Order of finish: 3
|
|
4
|
6
|
|
|
|
#2 SINGLES
|
  1 Â
|
  2 Â
|
  3 Â
|
Notes
|
Felix Corwin, University of Minnesota
|
5
|
6
|
3
|
Order of finish: 6
|
|
7
|
3
|
6
|
|
|
#3 SINGLES
|
  1 Â
|
  2 Â
|
  3 Â
|
Notes
|
Stefan Milicevic, University of Minnesota
|
6
|
6
|
|
Order of finish: 1
|
|
2
|
2
|
|
|
|
#4 SINGLES
|
  1 Â
|
  2 Â
|
  3 Â
|
Notes
|
Eli Ogilvy, University of Minnesota
|
3
|
6
|
3
|
Order of finish: 4
|
|
6
|
3
|
6
|
|
|
#5 SINGLES
|
  1 Â
|
  2 Â
|
  3 Â
|
Notes
|
Josip Krstanovic, University of Minnesota
|
7
|
6
|
|
Order of finish: 5
|
|
6
|
4
|
|
|
|
#6 SINGLES
|
  1 Â
|
  2 Â
|
  3 Â
|
Notes
|
Marino Alpeza, University of Minnesota
|
6
|
2
|
|
Order of finish: 2
|
|
7
|
6
|
|
|
|