CORAL GABLES, Fla. | South Alabama took an early lead against No. 60 Miami on the road, but couldn't hold off the Hurricanes, falling 4-3 on the road in Coral Gables.
 
The Jags got an early win at number three doubles, with Louis Delcour and Juan Accossatto beating Martin Katz and Leo Bierbaum of Miami 6-3. The Jags were able to take a 1-0 lead thanks to a win at number one doubles, where the duo of Jack Clements and Maxime St-Hilaire clinched the doubles point with a 6-2/ win against Juan Martin Jalif and Martin Vergara.
 
In singles, the Jags took first sets on four of six courts, but couldn't hold off the Hurricanes, falling eventually falling on four of six courts.  
 
South extended their lead to 2-0 with a quick win from Louis Delcour in straight sets, beating Martin Vergara 6-2, 6-1.
 
Miami got on the board with a win at number one, where No. 44 Dan Martin defeated Sebastien Collard 6-3, 6-4. The Hurricanes evened the score at 2-2 with a win from Antonio Prat at number three, issuing Jack Clements a 3-6, 6-0, 6-1 loss.
 
South reclaimed the lead, going up 3-2, with a strong win from Maxime St-Hilaire at number two, beating No. 76 Martin Katz 6-2, 7-5.
 
The Hurricanes tied it up at three with a win due to retirement at number five, where Leo Bierbaum and Martin Bugaj were tied at one set each before Bugaj had to pull out.
 
With the match tied 3-3, attention turned to court six, where each player had claimed a set already. Eventually, Miami clinched the match with a win from Nacho Serra Sanchez, beating Javier Montoya 6-3, 5-7, 6-2.
 
South (7-5) has a quick turnaround, staying on the road through the week, traveling to Florida Atlantic for a match on Friday at 10 a.m.
 
Match Results
March 5, 2023
11 am – Mobile, Ala.   
Singles
1. #44 Dan Martin (UM) def. Sebastien Collard (USA) 6-3, 6-4
2. Maxime St-Hilaire (USA) def. #76 Martin Katz (UM) 6-2, 7-5
3. Antonio Prat (UM) def. Jack Clements (USA) 3-6, 6-0, 6-1
4. Louis Delcour (USA) def. Martin Vergara (UM) 6-2, 6-1
5. Leo Bierbaum (UM) def. Martin Bugaj (USA) 5-7, 6-3, 2-1, retired
6. Nacho Serra Sanchez (UM) def. Javier Montoya (USA) 6-3, 5-7, 6-2
 
Doubles
1. Jack Clements/Maxime St-Hilaire (USA) def. Juan Martin Jalif/Martin Vergara (UM) 6-2
2. Franco Aubone/Dan Martin (UM) vs. Sebastien Collard/Martin Bugaj (USA) 3-3, unfinished
3. Louis Delcour/Juan Accossatto (USA) def. Martin Katz/Leo Bierbaum (UM) 6-3
 
Quotable from coach Nick Brochu
"This one definitely hurts. Miami is a great team that has been ranked around the 40s for most of the year. That would have been a great win for us. Coming so close and almost having the win in our hands but having it taken away, is really painful for the guys. We battled for about four hours under the Miami sun, it was extremely hard and hot. We played some tremendous doubles. In all three doubles, everyone is playing with high energy and playing so hard. We has the momentum after winning the doubles point and then we went into singles and won four first sets. We looked like we were cruising. On this team, we don't have one weak spot on this lineup. We are competitive at every single spot and today, you could see it was a battle on every court, even a court where we lost the first set, Javier came back and won the second to send it to three sets. It was awesome finding ourselves up 3-2 with two matches left at five and six. Martin was pretty much in control, he won the first set and was doing great and then all of sudden he started cramping and couldn't even finish the match. It is heartbreaking to see a player who has been working so hard not able to finish a match. He worked so hard and he knew he could win this for the guys, but he had to pull out. Then it came down to Javi and he played a really good match. There's nothing that we can be mad about. He gave it everything and came back and forced a third set and it was a great battle between two kids from Spain. But he came up short in the end. His game is very powerful, and he just missed a few balls here and there because his game got tight.
 
I told them yesterday; we have been improving a lot. The way we played Miami is so much better than the way we were playing in January. When we played Mississippi State early in the year, it was a good battle but nothing compared to this and that's what we have to focus on. This loss hurts tremendously but you have to think about how much we have improved as a team and we have to keep improving. This is our last trip before we start conference, so this is exciting and it's good motivation. We've got a big match on Friday against FAU. We've got a rivalry with them because we play them every tear – home and away – and they will be ready for us and it's going to be another battle."
 
 
 
Up Next
South Alabama travels to No. 63 Florida Atlantic on Friday at 10 a.m.
 
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