ORLANDO – Wichita State doubles tandem
Marius Frosa and
Murkel Dellien advanced to the quarterfinals of the NCAA Doubles Championships Wednesday at the USTA National Campus in Orlando.
With the win, the Shocker duo become just the second pair to earned All-America honors. Shocker Hall of Famers Roberto Saad and Paul Smith were named All-Americans in 1983 after reaching the semifinals of the Championships.
The junior duo took on Ryan Seggerman and Payton Holden of Princeton in Round of 16 action. The two teams squared off early in the first set to get it at three apiece. Princeton's break to go up 4-3 was the decider, as the No. 34-ranked Tiger duo grabbed the first set, 6-4.
Dellien and Frosa, who improved to 11-1 on the season, started the second set with on a high note – jumping out to a 3-0 lead over the Princeton tandem. After taking a commanding 5-1 lead in the second, Seggerman and Holden won two-straight games to cut the Shocker lead. In the end, the Shocker duo served out the set to force a 10-point match tiebreaker.
It was all Princeton in the early going, jumping out to a 4-1 lead. Dellien and Frosa battled back to tie it at four, before Seggerman and Holden pushed it back to a two-point lead at 6-4. There was no quit in the Shocker squad as they tallied four of the next five points to take an 8-7 lead. The Tiger duo held off multiple match points with the Shockers up 9-7, rallying to tie it at nine.
Next Up:
Frosa and Dellien will take on the winner of Patrick Kaukovalta/Mazen Osama of Alabama and Bo Boyden/William Blumberg in quarterfinal action, slated for 3 p.m. CT at the USTA National Campus.
NCAA Doubles Championships // Round of 16
#35
Murkel Dellien/
Marius Frosa (WSU) def. #34 Ryan Seggerman/Payton Holden (PU), 4-6, 6-3, 11-9
