TALLAHASSEE, Fla. ? The University of South Alabama men’s tennis team dropped a tough, 4-3, decision to no. 14 Florida State in the second round of the NCAA Tallahassee Regional at the Scott Speicher Center, Sunday. The 60th ranked Jaguars fall to 16-9 on the year, while Florida State moves to 21-5 and advances to the NCAA Finals in Tulsa, Okla. Even after the loss, the Jaguars did advance to the second round of the NCAA tournament for the second straight year after missing out on the NCAA the two years before.

“Off course it hurts to come close and lose, but we fought for every single point and that is all I can ask for,” head coach Nick Brochu said. “You can’t win them all and both teams deserved to win but FSU won the match in the end.”

The Seminoles started out strong winning at the number two and three doubles courts as Drew Bailey and Brad Mixon first defeated Aaron Krisan and Michael O’Brien, 8-1. Sam Chang and Maciek Sykut then knocked off Marek Sramek and Robert Hodel, 8-5, to gain the early and crucial first point.

“In doubles I think we were a little flat when we came out, but we could have won the doubles point,” Brochu noted. “Looking back the point was very important, but you can’t go back and second guess your play.”

FSU increased its lead to 3-0 after Mixon knocked off O’Brien, 6-1, 6-0 and Chris Cloer won on the five court over Aaron Krisan, 6-2, 6-1. The Jaguars finally got on the board, as 34th ranked Jack Baker upset no. 19 Jean-Yves Aubone, 6-2, 6-4, and cut the deficit by one as no. 107 Marek Sramek upset no. 92 Chang, 7-5, 6-3. With Brochu’s club one point from tying, R.J. Nagel brought the game to threes as he defeated Sykut in straight sets, 6-3, 6-4. Much like Saturday against no. 21 Alabama, the match came down to the final court with Hodel and 85th ranked Bowles pitted against one another. After exchanging the first two sets, Bowles outlasted the Jaguar senior winning the third and final set, 6-1.

“We were down 3-0 and our top-four players fought back and we didn’t panic the whole time,” Brochu added. “We played one match at a time to get it to 3-3 and Robert played very well, but Clint Bowles (FSU) was very good as well.”

#14 Florida State 4 def. #60 South Alabama 3

Singles
No. 1: #34 Jack Baker (USA) def. #13 Jean-Yves Aubone (FSU) 6-2, 6-4
No. 2: #85 Clint Bowles (FSU) def. Robert Hodel (USA) 7-5, 5-7, 6-1
No. 3: #107 Marek Sramek (USA) def. #92 Sam Chang (FSU) 7-5, 6-3
No. 4: R.J. Nagel (USA) def. Maciek Sykut (FSU) 6-3, 6-4
No. 5: Chris Cloer (FSU) def. Aaron Krisan (USA) 6-2, 6-1
No. 6: Brad Mixson (FSU) def. Michael O’Brien (USA) 6-1, 6-0
Order of finish: 6, 5, 1, 3, 4, 2

Doubles
No. 1: #15 Aubone/Bowles (FSU) vs. Baker/Nagel (USA) 6-6 DNF
No. 2: Chang/Sykut (FSU) def. Hodel/Sramek (USA) 8-5
No. 3: Drew Bailey/Mixson (FSU) def. Krisan/O’Brien (USA) 8-1
Order of finish: 3, 2