Score: VCU 4, DePaul 3
Location: Richmond, Va. (Thalhimer Tennis Center)
Records: VCU 2-1 (0-0 Atlantic-10), DePaul 0-2
 
The Short Story: After setting the tone in doubles, VCU leaned on resilience in singles play to edge DePaul 4-3 in a hard-fought afternoon.
 
Quote from Coach Kutrovsky: "Absolute team effort. We competed the whole way through and got away with a 4:3. It's always good to finish on the good side of these battles. Time to recover and get ready for ETSU."
 
Opening Serve

• Doubles play proved to be a true back-and-forth battle, with momentum swinging on all three courts. However VCU delivered a gritty, composed performance on all three courts when it mattered most to clinch the doubles point
• On court one, the pairing of Mats Bredschneijder and Erwann Bouchet were locked at two early. DePaul's Alejandro Gandini and Pablo Torres Almeida edged within one at 3-4, but the Rams' pair raised their level, closing out the next two games to take the set, 6-3
• Nicolo Consonni and Gevorg Mnatsakanyan found themselves down 2-3 on court two, but clawed back to even the score at 3-3 before taking a 4-3 lead. After trading games to reach 4-4, the Rams surged ahead and closed out the set 6-4, to secure the doubles point for VCU.
• On court three, Leon Zaorski and Kostiantyn Mantach battled from behind early, trailing 1-4 before leveling at 4-4. The Rams briefly grabbed a 5-4 lead, but DePaul responded to even it at 5-5 before play was halted
• In singles action, Consonni was in control early on court two, jumping out to a 4-1 lead and closing out the first set, 6-4. He carried that momentum into the second where he never looked like losing, powering home another swift 6-4 win to secure the first singles point for the Rams
• Zaorski was locked in a tight battle early but dropped the opening set, 6-3. After showing resilience in the second, battling back to pull within one, Zaorski ultimately fell 4-6 in the second set giving DePaul their first point of the match
• Bredschneijder battled on court one after dropping the first set, 3-6, but responded with grit, racing to a 4-1 lead in the second. With the set tied at 4-4 and 5-5, he dominated the tiebreaker 7-1, to extend the match, however Bredschneijder came up just short in the third
• Meanwhile on court two, Bouchet was in a tight contest for the majority of the afternoon. Bouchet came out strong, building a 5-2 lead and taking the first set, 6-3. After dropping the second by the same score, the third set played out much like the rest of the day, tied at 2-2 and later at 5-5. However, Bouchet finally broke through late, winning 7-5 as the tension peaked to put the Rams within one point of victory
• On the decisive court five, Mnatsakanyan won the first set, 6-1 with flying colors against DePaul's Sebastian Medica. The second set turned into a heated, back-and-forth battle that had both teams on their feet. In a pressure-filled finish, Mnatsakanyan willed his way past Medica's late push to seal the fourth point and secure the win for VCU
• To complete the afternoon, Mantach fought valiantly on court six against DePaul's Augusto Pardo Cano. Mantach took the first set, 7-5, before falling by the same score in the second, forcing a tiebreak. Despite a resilient performance, Mantach fell just short, dropping the tiebreak 8-10

Singles results
 1. Alejandro Gandini (DU) def. Mats Bredschneijder (VCU) 6-3, 6-7(1), 6-2
 2. Nicolo Consonni (VCU) def. Tobias Leitner (DU) 6-4, 6-4
 3. Erwann Bouchet (VCU) def. Andy Hadziabdic (DU) 6-3, 3-6, 7-5
 4. Pablo Torres Almeida (DU) def. Leon Zaorski (VCU) 6-3, 6-4
 5. Gevorg Mnatsakanyan (VCU) def. Sebastian Medica (DU) 6-1, 6-4
 6. Augusto Pardo Cano (DU) def. Kostiantyn Mantach (VCU) 7-5, 5-7 [10-8]
 
Doubles results
 1. Mats Bredschneijder / Erwann Bouchet (VCU) def. Alejandro Gandini / Pablo Torres Almeida (DU) 6-3
 2. Nicolo Consonni / Gevorg Mnatsakanyan (VCU) def. Sebastian Medica /  Augusto Pardo Cano (DU) 6-4
 3.  Leon Zaorski / Kostiantyn Mantach (VCU) vs. Thomas Giles / Sven Moser (DU) 5-5 (unfinished)
 
Order of Finish: Doubles: 1, 2,   Singles: 2, 4, 1, 3, 5, 6
 
Up Next: VCU will be back in action on Sunday, February 1, as they host ETSU at 10 a.m. at Thalhimer Tennis Center.