IOWA CITY, Iowa – Despite the physical demands of playing two matches in a day on Friday, No. 31 Wisconsin showed no signs to fatigue in taking down the Iowa Hawkeyes, 5-2 in the Big Ten Opener in Iowa City, Iowa.
"Fantastic team win for our guys," head coach
Danny Westerman said. "We handled difficult situations very well today. It's very tough to win matches on the road and I was very impressed with our composure."
The Badgers, who improved to 9-2 on the season, have yet to be beaten in doubles competition and continued their streak to 11-straight wins with a victory over the Hawkeyes (8-4, 0-1).
At the No. 2 spot, junior
Lamar Remy and freshman
Chase Colton shouldered their way past Iowa's Kareem Allaf and Jonas Larsen, 6-4, en route to a 9-2 record on the year.
Senior
John Zordani and sophomore
Osgar O'Hoisin were handed a rare loss, 6-4, to Iowa's duo of Robin Haden and Jake Jacoby, the Badgers and the Hawkeyes were deadlocked at 1-1 in the doubles point.
Juniors
Chema Carranza and
Josef Dodridge had ice in their veins.
Earning a pressure win at the No. 1 position, 6-4, over Lefteris Theodorou and Josh Silverstein, the Badger tandem improved to 6-2 on the year.
After Wisconsin's victory in doubles, Iowa's Jacoby retaliated at the No. 6 spot against Badger freshman
Daniel Soyfer to win in two sets, 6-3, 6-3. Even with the loss, the red-hot freshman continues to an impressive 8-2 mark on the year.
But the Iowa victory over Soyfer worked in favor of Wisconsin and sparked the Badgers to three straight wins in the singles competition to seal the dual match win.
O'Hoisin led the charge for the Badgers with a dominant 6-3, 6-4 win at the No. 4 spot over Iowa's Haden. Dodridge responded in kind with a win of his own at the No. 2 spot over Silverstein, 7-5, 6-1.
Captain Remy clinched the match for the Cardinal and White with a three-set thriller win over Theodorou, 4-6, 6-1, 6-4. Despite playing at extremely competitive positions throughout the year, Remy continues to an 8-2 record in singles.
"Joe had a great day breaking back to make it 5-5 in the first set to completely turn his match around," Westerman noted. "Lamar also did a great job staying composed after dropping the first set.
But for Westerman, competing has been the overarching theme throughout the year and it was no different today.
"All the guys are competing hard for every point and that is what it takes to be successful."
The Badgers are back in action next Saturday at Nielsen Tennis Stadium when they take on Big Ten rival and 32nd-ranked Minnesota at noon.
Doubles – Sunday, March 5
Dodridge/Carranza def. Lefteris Theodorou/Josh Silverstein (IOWA), 6-4
Remy/Colton def. Kareem Allaf/Jonas Larsen (IOWA), 6-4
Robin Haden/Jake Jacoby (IOWA) def. Zordani/O'Hoisin, 6-4
Singles
Remy def. Lefteris Theodorou (IOWA), 4-6, 6-1, 6-4
Dodridge def. Josh Silverstein (IOWA), 7-5, 6-1
Kareem Allaf (IOWA) def. Carranza, 7-6, 7-6
O'Hoisin def. Robin Haden (IOWA), 6-3, 6-4
Colton vs. Jonas Larsen (IOWA), 6-5, 4-6, 1-0, UF
Jake Jacoby (IOWA) def. Soyfer, 6-3, 6-3
