March 10, 2010
Results
COLLEGE PARK, Md. -
The No. 73 Maryland men's tennis team swept Delaware, 7-0, on Wednesday to earn the team's ninth straight win and the program's best start in 24 years.
With the win, the Terps improved to 13-2 on the year, which is the best record of any Maryland men's tennis team through 15 matches since 1986, when Maryland started 14-1.
"It's a credit to the players who really came out and worked hard," said head coach Kyle Spencer of the team's start. "They've taken pride in this program, brought a work ethic to everything that we do, and it's really because of them."
For Spencer, the mark is about more than just fielding a competitive tennis team. It's also a big part of the first-year coach's efforts to rebuild the Terrapin tennis program from the ground up.
"We're excited with the monumental start for us this year," Spencer said, "but it's also about bringing a lot of pride back to Maryland tennis."
The Terps were perfect on the day against the Blue Hens (2-4), sweeping the doubles point before winning all six singles matches.
Maryland freshman Tommy Laine stood out on the day. Paired with Jesse Kiuru at No. 1 doubles, the duo won a tight match with Delaware's Austin Longacre and Gokay Celik, 9-8 (9-7), to secure the doubles sweep for Maryland.
Laine, ranked 122nd nationally in singles, later defeated Celik at No. 2 singles, 6-3, 6-4, to clinch the overall match victory for the Terps.
The win is Laine's 15th in a row to start his career at Maryland. He has not dropped a set in any of his first 15 matches.
Kiuru won at No. 1 singles, 6-3, 6-3 over Longacre, for his 10th straight singles victory, and John Collins won at No. 4 singles, 6-2, 6-3 over the Blue Hens' Chris Hincker, for his 9th straight singles victory.
The Terps will return to action next weekend when they face a pair of ACC foes. Maryland will play host to No. 1 Virginia at 2:30 p.m. next Friday, March 19 at the Tennis Center at College Park, and will visit No. 21 Virginia Tech at 10 a.m. on Sunday, March 21 in Blacksburg, Va.
