03/02/06– FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
JAGUAR MEN'S TENNIS OPENS HEB INVITATIONAL PLAY WITH TWO WINS
CONTACT: Kit Strief Box Score vs. Texas-Pan American
Box Score vs. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas - The South Alabama men's tennis team opened the 2006 HEB Invitational in Corpus Christi, Texas, with a pair of wins over Texas-Pan American, 4-0, and the host school and the four seed Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, 4-3. The Jaguars, unseeded in the tournament, move to 11-2 on the year with the victories and will now play the top seed and no. 19 Louisville on Friday at 2:30 p.m. in the semifinals.
"We got a tough win over a good Texas A&M-Corpus Christi team today," Jaguar head coach Scott Novak said. "It is always fun to play a good team in front of their home crowd and win."
The Jaguars began the day as an overmatched opponent for Texas-Pan American. The Jaguars won decisively 4-0. The Jags won at no. 2 and no. 3 doubles to win the doubles point. No. 1 doubles was not finished because the Jags had already clinched the point.
In singles, USA cruised two three wins at nos. 3-6. R.J. Nagel did not lose a game, blanking his opponent, 6-0, 6-0. At no. 5, Sam Huffman won 6-0 in the first set and 6-2 in the second. Playing at no. 4, Filip Kricka won 6-3, 6-0. The top three singles slots were not finished because the match had already been decided.
USA then faced the home team and had its hands full. For the second time in three matches, USA battled back from losing the doubles point to win the match. USA defeated no. 23 Texas Christian on Tuesday after losing the doubles point. USA's lone win at doubles came at no. 3 as Huffman and Kricka defeated their Islander opponent, 8-0.
TAMCC looked as if it was going to take control of the match, winning two of the top three singles matches, but a win by Jack Baker at no. 2 put the Jaguars in position to win the match. Baker defeated his opponent in convincing fashion, 6-2, 6-0.
USA then took control of the match, winning singles matches 3-6 in straight sets. Marek Sramek bageled his opponent, 6-0, 6-0 at no. 4, while Robert Hodel won 6-2, 6-3 at no. 5 and Mark Gellard posted a 6-1, 7-5 win at no. 6.
USA plays top-seeded and no. 19 ranked Louisville on Friday at 2:30 p.m. for a spot in the championship on Saturday.
“Tomorrow we play a tough Louisville squad and they are no. 19 in the nation,” Novak said. “It will be a great test for us.” |
