Rollins Falls in Three Sets in NCAA Singles Round of 64

Monday, May 20

Stillwater, Okla.

Tulsa

NCAA Singles Championship

Photo by: Shane Bevel/American Athletic Conference

Rollins Falls in Three Sets in NCAA Singles Round of 64

5/20/2024 12:07:00 PM | Men's Tennis

STILLWATER, Okla. — University of Tulsa men's tennis standout Pierce Rollins went the distance against No. 10 Alex Martinez out of the University of Oklahoma in the Round of 64 in the NCAA Men's Tennis Singles Championship on Monday morning but fell in three sets 7-6 (7-3), 3-6, 0-6 in windy conditions on the outdoor courts of Oklahoma State's Greenwood Tennis Center. The 59^th-ranked Rollins concludes his season with a 14-14 singles record with wins in eight of his last nine completed matches.

It was a back-and-forth battle in the first set as the players weathered four tie scores and two lead changes. Rollins took a 3-1 lead before Martinez rattled off four straight game wins to take a 5-3 lead. Rollins kept his cool and won the next game capped off by a Martinez double fault and proceeded to break in the following game making it a 5-5 first frame. From there, Rollins served for the lead change at 6-5 before Martinez forced a seven-point tiebreak set at six games all.

Rollins never trailed in the tiebreaker and led by as many as three points before closing out 7-3 for a 7-6 first-set winner.

Martinez stole the momentum in the next two sets as he never allowed Rollins to retake the lead. Rollins was able to break only one serve as Martinez closed out with 6-3 and 6-0 set wins for the match.