Results

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – North Florida won the first three singles matches in straight sets to claim a 5-2 victory over the No. 74 University of South Alabama men’s tennis team Tuesday afternoon at the UNF Tennis Complex.

The Jaguars fall to 0-2 on their Florida road trip and drop to 8-9 on the season. The Ospreys even their slate at 6-6.

UNF earned the doubles point with a pair of 8-4 wins at Nos. 1 and 3 then dropped no more than three games in singles in any set on courts 3-5.

Norbert Nemcsek doubles the Ospreys’ advantage at No. 4 when he defeated freshman Juan Troglia (Mendoza, Argentina) 6-3, 6-0. Julien Belair followed with a 6-3, 6-2 win at No. 3 over freshman Gerhard Gruindelingh (Pretoria, South Africa) for a 3-0 UNF lead.

The Ospreys put the match away on the No. 5 court thanks to Pedro Davisson’s 6-3, 6-3 victory against sophomore Blake Gregor (Griffith, New South Wales, Australia).

“Singles was better (than doubles) for us, but we were missing that 'spark,'” USA head coach Nick Brochu said. “We were not explosive enough and got a little passive on some courts. We may have been still tired from our battle yesterday against USF.”

The Jaguars picked up their points at No. 6 on a 7-6 (7-4), 2-0 (ret.) win by senior Cody Hall (Albuquerque, N.M.) and a 6-3, 1-6, 6-3 victory by No. 60 Daniel Leitner (Niederfischbach, Germany) over Moritz Buerchner at No. 1.

In doubles, Buerchner and Belair teamed up to defeat Gruindelingh and Troglia on the No. 1 court, and Davisson and Leonardo Nahar clinched the point at No. 3.

“Just like last year when we played UNF, we knew the doubles point would be big,” Brochu said. “Unfortunately, UNF was more aggressive than us and they got the points.”

South Alabama will take an extended break before returning March 30 for the MT Shootout in Murfreesboro, Tenn.

“We will go home and take a few days off,” Brochu said. “I think we need it, mentally and physically. We have been on the road a lot since the beginning of the season. It has been hard on the guys. We have two more big trips before the Sun Belt Conference Tournament. We will work harder in order to be ready.”

For more information about South Alabama athletics, check back with www.usajaguars.com, and follow the Jaguars at www.twitter.com/USAJaguarSports. Season tickets for all Jaguar athletic events can be purchased by calling (251) 461-1USA (1872).

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