MOBILE, Ala. | South Alabama used a pair of strong performances to record a pair of shutout victories on the opening day of the 2023 season, dropping just two matches along the way. The Jags picked up a pair of 7-0 wins over West Alabama to open the season, dropping just one doubles match in each of the two matches.
The Jags used wins at number two and three doubles in the opening match of the day to jump out to an early 1-0 lead led by a 6-0 victory by the number three team of
Martin Bugaj and
Javier Montoya. The point was clinched by the number two team of Sebastien Collard and
Juan Accossatto with a 6-2 victory.
With the early lead, the attention turned to singles where South Alabama clinched the match and won all six duals including a pair that went to pro-sets after the match was clinched by Accossatto after number six singles with a 2-6, 6-4, 6-1 over West Alabama's Lucas Hammond. The Jags were able to jump to a quick lead and clinched the match with a
Maxime St-Hilaire 6-4, 6-1 victory over West Alabama's Ilari Vesanen.
They were able to push the lead to 3-0 overall before the clinching match with wins by
Jack Clements at number three (6-1, 6-4) and Collard at number one (6-1, 6-0). The Jags picked up three-set wins by Montoya at number five (4-6, 6-1, 1-0) and Accossatto (4-6, 6-1, 1-0) at number five.
Match One Results
January 13, 2023
10 am – Bruce David Lubel Memorial Tennis Courts
Singles
1.
Sébastien Collard (USA) def. Marcel Hornung (UWA) 6-1, 6-0
2.
Maxime St-Hilaire (USA) def. Ilari Vesanen (UWA) 6-4, 6-1
3.
Jack Clements (USA) def. Loic Danze (UWA) 6-1, 6-4
4.
Martin Bugaj (USA) def. Nutti Jokinen (UWA) 6-1, 4-6, 7-6 (5)
5.
Javier Montoya (USA) def. Ilia Dehodiuk (UWA) 4-6, 6-1, 1-0 (6-2)
6.
Juan Accossatto (USA) def. Lucas Hammond (UWA) 2-6, 6-4, 1-0 (6-1)
Doubles
1. Marcel Hornung/Lucas Hammond (UWA) def.
Jack Clements/
Maxime St-Hilaire (USA) 6-4
2. Sébastien Collard/
Juan Accossatto (USA) def. Ilari Vesanen/Ilia Dehodiuk (UWA) 6-2
3.
Martin Bugaj/
Javier Montoya (USA) def. Nutti Jokinen/Wilson Igbinova (UWA) 6-0
In the nightcap, South Alabama (2-0) jumped ahead early again with the doubles' with wins at number one and two. Their only loss was in a dramatic tiebreaker at number three.
They were able to extend the lead when Clements picked up a 6-0, 6-1 victory before stretching to it 3-0 when Montoya picked up a 6-1, 6-3 win with four matches still on the court and all in the favor of the Jags at the time. The match was clinched when Accossatto picked up a 6-1, 6-4 victory to keep South Alabama undefeated on the opening day of the season. They were able to close out the match with wins at number three, four
Match Two Results
January 13, 2023
2:30 pm – Bruce David Lubel Memorial Tennis Courts
Singles
1. Sébastien Collard (USA) vs. Illiari Vesanen (UWA) 7-6, 6-3
2.
Jack Clements (USA) def. Marcel Hornug (UWA) 6-0, 6-1
3.
Maxime St-Hilaire (USA) def. Wilson Igbinovia (UWA), 6-3, 6-1
4.
Martin Bugaj (USA) def. Loic Danze (UWA) 6-2, 6-2
5.
Juan Accossatto (USA) def. Illia Dehodiuk (UWA) 6-1, 6-4
6.
Javier Montoya (USA) def. Lucas Hammond (UWA) 6-1, 6-3
Doubles
1. Sébastien Collard/
Maxime St-Hilaire (USA) def. Marcel Hornung/Lucas Hammond (UWA) 6-4
2.
Jack Clements/
Martin Bugaj (USA) def. Ilari Vesanen/Wilson Igbinovia (UWA) 7-5
3. Loic Danze/Ilia Dehodiuk (UWA) def.
Javier Montoya/
Juan Accossatto (USA) 7-6
Quotable from coach Nick Brochu
"First matches of the year were good. We tried different pairs in doubles and saw some good things and saw some things we need to work on. I thought the guys behaved very well on the court, sometimes we got down and we were able to come back and fought hard. I think we saw a lot of positives today. Two wins to start the year especially the way we played, even though we were winning we didn't slow down. We kept our foot on the gas."
"We did a lot of conditioning in the fall and since we came back in early January we have been working hard. Two matches in one day and it was cold, no one complained which is a good sign because everyone is fit. We are on the road for a couple of matches this weekend and it will be exciting."
Up Next
South Alabama hits the road this weekend for a pair of matches in Starkville (Miss.) beginning with East Tennessee State on Sunday, before facing Mississippi State on Monday.
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