JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The University of South Alabama men's tennis team rallied from a 3-1 deficit for a 4-3 victory over North Florida at the UNF Tennis Courts on Sunday afternoon.  The Jags improve to 10-2 on the season as they continue their nine-match win streak.
 
The win snaps a six-match losing streak against the Ospreys, including five in the last five years.  The nine-straight victories is the longest win streak since the 1995 team opened its season 9-0.
 
"This is a big win for us," said South Alabama head coach Nick Brochu. "North Florida played really well. They beat us the last five years, so this one feels great."
 
North Florida got the doubles point by claiming the first two matches completed.  Jonathan Deautriell and Sahil Deshmukh defeated senior Tuki Jacobs (Windhoek, Namibia) and senior Pierre Noyon (Oye-Plage, France) 6-3 on court No. 3, and Jack Findel-Hawkins and Jefta Kecic topped senior Juan Cruz Soria and freshman Loic Cloes (Remicourt, Belgium) 6-4 on court No. 1.  Junior Oliver Gingras (Quebec City, Quebec, Canada) and freshman Clement Marzol (Toulouse, France) were tied 4-4 with Yannick Zuern and Lasse Muscheites on court No. 2.
 
"We started really well in doubles leading on all three courts," said Brochu.  "We were so close to getting the point, but there was a big momentum change and our guys got nervous. We stopped playing aggressive and they stole the doubles point from us."
 
Marzol got the Jags' first point with a 6-1, 6-3 victory over Zuern on court No. 3, but the Ospreys got the next two singles points.  Muscheites beat Gingras 6-3, 6-4 on court No. 4, and Deshmukh topped sophomore Lucas Gonzalez (Chateauroux, France) in three sets on court No. 5, 3-6, 6-1, 6-3.
 
Soria started the Jags' rally with a 7-6 (3), 6-1 win over No. 62 Kecic on court No. 2, and Cloes tied the match up on court No. 6 with a 7-5, 6-3 victory over Zach Goldberg.  No. 50 Jacobs clinched the Jags' win on court No. 1 with a 3-6, 6-2, 6-3 win against No. 74 Findel-Hawkins.
 
"In singles it was very competitive," said Brochu.  "We were winning on four courts but it was too close to feel comfortable. North Florida came back and won a big match in three sets to put us at 3-3. This was the best scenario: our No. 1 player versus their No.1. They had played each other before and it was always extremely close. We had full confidence in Tuki. He had the momentum after winning the second set. On change over, we kept on talking about playing to win and keeping the pressure on them. It paid off and he got the break in the middle of the last set. He served well and played solid. Tuki did nothing less than what is expected from a senior captain: he gave us the last win needed."
 
The Jaguars return to the court Friday at 2:00 p.m. to face Samford on the road.
 
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