WILMINGTON, N.C. | The South Alabama Jaguars closed the regular season with a 4-0 win over UNC Wilmington Sunday afternoon, finishing the regular season 15-7.
 
South struck first in doubles action, with the duo at number one of Jack Clements and Maxime St-Hilaire getting a 6-3 win over Reece Falck and Bekhzod Rasamatov.
 
Number two and three doubles finished at the same time, with the pairings of Sebastian Collard/Martin Bugaj and Louis Declour/Javier Montoya both winning, giving Jags the 1-0 advantage.
 
In singles, South carried over the momentum, claiming first sets on five of six courts.
 
Senior Sebastien Collard got a quick win for South to take the 2-0 lead, beating Reece Falck in straight sets, 6-3, 6-3.
 
Javier Montoya at number six claimed the second singles win of the day, winning 7-6 (8-6), 6-3 over Alex de Gabriele to give the Jaguars the 3-0 advantage.
 
Martin Bugaj clinched the match for South Alabama, winning 6-3, 7-6 (7-4) over Davide Innocenti to give South the 4-0 win.
 
South Alabama (15-7, 7-1) turns their focus to the Sun Belt Conference Tournament, where they will be the number one seed and start play in the quarterfinals, Thursday April 20.  
 
Match Results
April 16, 2023
11 am – Wilmington, N.C.
Singles
1. Sebastien Collard (USA) def. Reece Falck (UNCW) 6-3, 6-3
2. Harold Huens (UNCW) vs. Maxime St-Hilaire (USA) 7-5, 3-1, unfinished
3. Gabe Hurtado (UNCW) vs. Louis Delcour (USA) 6-7 (4-7), 5-6, unfinished
4. Trey Mallory (UNCW) vs. Jack Clements (USA) 3-6, 6-1, 2-5, unfinished
5. Martin Bugaj (USA) def. Davide Innocenti (UNCW) 6-3, 7-6 (7-4)
6. Javier Montoya (USA) def. Alex de Gabriele (UNCW) 7-6 (8-6), 6-3
 
Doubles
1. Jack Clements/Maxime St-Hilaire (USA) def. Reece Falck/Bekhzod Rasamatov (UNCW) 6-3
2. Sebastien Collard/Martin Bugaj (USA) def. Drew Broadstreet/Trey Mallory (UNCW) 6-4
3. Louis Delcour/Javier Montoya (USA) def. Davide Innocenti/Gabe Hurtado (UNCW) 6-4
 
Quotable from coach Nick Brochu
"Today would fall under crazy matches. Lots of emotion today. We started with doubles, we had a good talk after yesterday's match, that doubles needed to be more energetic and we needed to have a bigger start, and today, the guys responded so well. We had a big start, went up a break and kept the break, kept holding on until we closed the match at one. Number two and three were both in the position to win, and both clinched the match and the same time, so we won all three doubles.
 
In singles, it was very close but all of sudden we started taking the lead and we won five out of six first sets. We definitely saw the momentum going in our direction. The guys knew we only needed three more. Seb probably played close to perfection. He took down his opponent fairly quick, so all of sudden we are up 2-0 and you can hear the guys saying just two more. We are getting closer and closer to the finish line. Singles were very emotional, there was a lot of close calls. A lot of arguments between players and referees. We got cheated, but we keep telling the guys to live in the present and play the ball not your opponent. Stay focused and the best way to retaliate is to win and shake the guy's hand knowing you won regardless of if you got cheated. All that matters is who got the win and we did. I told the guys to just stay extremely focused and we did. At the end we were up 3-0 and, in a position to close the match on three courts. Louis was up 6-5, Jack was serving at 5-3 in the third. The final point could have come from anybody, but Martin played an amazing breaker and closed it, like the good leader he has been this year. Very proud of the guys, it was a very hostile environment, they had a big crowd with a lot of students just screaming at our guys. It felt like it was 100 vs eight but the eight won. Very proud."
 
Up Next
South Alabama opens post season play on Thursday, April 20, in the quarterfinals.
 
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