04/22/06–
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
JAGUARS'
BID FOR BERTH IN SUN BELT CHAMPIONSHIP GAME FALLS JUST SHORT IN
CLASSIC 4-3 MATCH
CONTACT:
Kit Strief
Box
Score
MOBILE,
Ala.
- The University of South Alabama men's tennis team dropped
a hard-fought 4-3 decision to Louisiana-Lafayette in the semifinals
of the 2006 Aeropostale Sun Belt Conference Championship on Saturday
at the Bruce David Lubel Memorial Courts. The Jaguars, ranked 48th
according to ITA, fall to 19-8 overall on the year, while Louisiana-Lafayette,
ranked 43rd, improves to 15-6.
“It was probably one of the better college matches I have
seen in many years,” Jaguar head coach Scott Novak said. “I
am really happy with this years team as they have exceeded my expectations,
but still a frustrating loss today," Novak said.
“I give credit to Louisiana-Lafayette they won a hard-fought
match and beat us twice this year.”
The match started with ULL winning the doubles point, but it did
not come easy. The Cajuns won at No. 3 as Evghenii Corduneanu and
Arlen Domoney defeated USA's Filip Kricka and Robert Hodel, 8-3.
ULL got out to a decent lead in the matches at No. 1 and 2, however
the Jaguars wouldn't go quietly.
The doubles tandem of Jack Baker and R.J. Nagel at No. 2 battled
back to tie it up at 7-7, after being down as much as three games.
The Jaguar duo went up 8-7, before Robin Ley and Shaun Ellison tied
it up and forced the tie-breaker. ULL won the tie breaker 11-9 to
win the point.
At No. 1 doubles, USA's duo of Monte Tucker and Dias Doskarayev
also battled back from three games down with Amanjot Sing and Dusan
Tabak to tie it at 8-8 as the point was won at No. 2.
ULL jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the team score as Ley posted a 6-1,
6-1 win over Tucker at No. 3 singles. The Jaguars tied it up at
two a piece as Hodel defeated Ellison at No. 5, 6-3, 6-3 and Nagel
won in straight sets over Domoney at No. 6, 6-1, 6-4.
Things began to get interesting as Cordaneanu defeated Baker at
No. 2, 7-6 (7-2), 6-3 to put the Cajuns up 3-2. However, a gritty
three set win by freshman Marek Sramek at No. 4 tied the match at
three with Doskarayev and Singh in a classic match.
Singh won the first set 6-3, but Doskarayev battled back and won
a 7-6 tie-breaker to force the decisive third set. Doskarayev went
ahead 3-2 in the set, but began to cramp which allowed Singh to
get back in the match and eventually win 6-4.
The Jaguars will face No. 4 seed Denver at 10 a.m. at the Mobile
Tennis Center on Sunday in the third place match. Louisiana-Lafayette
will meet top seed Middle Tennessee for the Sun Belt Championship
at 2 p.m. at the Lubel Memorial Courts.
“It is hard to be frustrated with this team with everything
they have done this year,” Novak said. “We will go out
tomorrow and give Denver a good match.”
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