Sabre Edge Features 
Duo Matches Record In Win Over Navy
Editor, TheSabre.com
May 08, 2009
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Houston Barrick and doubles partner Sanam Singh have won 38 times this season. |
"It was great to get out and compete again after almost a three-week lay-off and I think it takes a little bit of time to get back into that real match situation again," UVa coach Brian Boland said. "I thought we responded pretty well. The guys are excited about this tournament and have been for a long time so the anticipation was there. It was just good to be out competing again and I thought we played well."
Virginia, which improved to 30-0 on the season, jumped on Navy quickly by winning the doubles point. The first team to win two doubles matches wins the team doubles point. Dominic Inglot and Shabaz won at No. 1 doubles (8-3 vs. Nate Nelms and Johnny Waters), while Houston Barrick and Singh triumphed at No. 2 (8-3 vs. Jason Hill and Nick Birger) to give UVa the 1-0 lead. The Cavaliers have lost the doubles point just twice this season.
For Barrick and Singh, it was their 38th doubles win of the season. That total matches a Virginia single season record for doubles wins in a season, a mark set just last spring by Treat Huey and Somdev Devvarman. Barrick said the duo didn't know about the mark.
"Their chemistry is good on the court. They're both very aggressive," Boland said. "Houston is the more aggressive of the two, but Sanam makes so many balls and Houston is able to finish. They kind of complement each other really well. Our doubles point has been big point for us all year and given us a lot of momentum."
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Sanam Singh won in doubles and singles Friday. |
"We just started playing together last year before NCAAs. Honestly, it was kind of random; coach thought we'd be a good pairing because Houston is really good at the net and I like playing from the baseline," Singh said. "We started playing together and gelled really well together. I didn't really think we would do as well as we did. Now that we're playing together, I want to keep going. This is just great."
"Sanam is fast and has great hands as well. He's great from the back. I'm probably not as good from the back, but I volley pretty well," Barrick said. "We both like to think we're pretty good returners. I think we complement each other really well."
Likewise, the Hoos' strength in doubles is a strong complement to a deep and talented singles line-up. Navy coach John Officer said the Cavaliers are a difficult team to play because everyone serves the ball well, making it a tall task to break serve in any match. Inglot sets the tone at No. 1 with his big, booming serve (which Boland guessed clocks regularly in the 120s or 130s in miles per hour) while everyone from Singh through Lee Singer places the ball well too.
"Virginia is the top-ranked team in the country for a reason, and they demonstrated that today," Officer said. "They serve very, very well and play great defense. It is hard to break their serve."
UVa takes on ACC foe North Carolina on Saturday at 1 p.m. The winner advances to the Sweet 16.
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