In a thrilling match at the ACC Championships, Virginia Tech men’s tennis team fought hard but ultimately fell short against Florida State, losing 1-4 in the second round.
The Hokies got off to a strong start by securing the doubles point, with Ryan Fishback and Maxime St. Hilaire leading the charge with a victory over their ranked opponents. However, despite their efforts, Matt Harper and Alberto Orso suffered a loss, with Orso battling through an injury to compete. The duo of Hugo Maia and Manuel Goncalves sealed the doubles point for Virginia Tech with a decisive victory.
In singles play, the Hokies faced tough competition on different courts due to the tournament format. Ryan Fishback fell to the No. 5 ranked player in two sets, followed by losses from Michael Shepheard and Alberto Orso. Despite the setbacks, Maxime St. Hilaire and Hugo Maia showed resilience by winning their second sets after dropping the first.
The match came down to a decisive third set on court three, where St. Hilaire ultimately fell to his opponent, clinching the victory for Florida State. The other two matches were left unfinished, with Maia trailing and Alex Ix leading in his third set.
Although Virginia Tech couldn’t pull off the comeback, they displayed determination and fighting spirit throughout the match. Fans can continue to support the team by making a pledge per match for the rest of the season.