April 17, 2008

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark.- - The 19th ranked and fifth-seeded Alabama men's tennis team fell in the first round of the 2008 SEC Championships to the 12th-seeded and No. 57th ranked South Carolina, 4-3, today at the George M. Billingsley Tennis Complex on the University of Arkansas campus.

"We knew going in this was a trap match for us," said Alabama head coach Billy Pate. "We knew South Carolina needed a win or two to make the NCAA tournament and they played like it. Credit them because they played a good match. They are much better than their record and seed and we didn't overlook that."

Alabama rolled through the doubles point with wins at numbers one and three. The Tide's 19th ranked tandem of Daniel Buikema and All-SEC selection Mat Thibaudeau took the first match with an 8-3 win over Pedro Campos and Johannes Pulsfort. Alabama's Sammy Struyf and Javier Bes clinched the point at number three with an 8-2 victory over Yevgeny Supeko and Thomas Stoddard.

With the point clinched, Alabama's Saketh Myneni and Andrew Felsenthal were down a game to Diego Cubas and Ivan Cressoni before doubles play was suspended.

The Tide's Buikema extended the Alabama lead to 2-0 with a 6-0, 6-2, win over Jamie Cuellar at number five singles. South Carolina's Pedro Campos pulled off a win at number three singles over Struyf to pull within one point of the Tide before Alabama's Michael Jung added another point at number six singles over Ivan Cressoni, 6-4, 4-6, 6-1.

Up 3-1, Alabama's Javier Bes fell to USC's Johannes Pulsfort 7-5, 2-6, 6-4, at number four while Thibaudeau fell to USC's Diego Cubas 6-3, 6-7(7-0), 7-5, at number two singles. With the score knotted at 3-3, Alabama's Saketh Myneni took USC's Yevgeny Supeko to a third set before falling 7-6, 3-6, 7-5, at number one singles to end the match.

"For us it was another match where we were up 3-1 and found a way not to close it out," said Pate. "We didn't handle the gusty conditions well for the second match in a row. We just have to regroup and prepare for the NCAA tournament."

With the loss Alabama falls to 19-9 overall while South Carolina improves to 11-13 overall. South Carolina advances to take on fourth-seeded and 12th-ranked Florida on Friday.

#19 Alabama 3, #57 South Carolina 4
George M. Billingsley Tennis Center
Fayetteville, Ark.
Singles
1. Yevgeny Supeko (SC) d. #95 Saketh Myneni (UA) 7-6, 3-6, 7-5
2. Diego Cubas (SC) d. Mat Thibaudeau (UA) 6-3, 6-7 (0-7)), 7-5
3. Pedro Campos (SC) d. Sammy Struyf (UA) 7-6, 6-3
4. Johannes Pulsfort (SC) d. Javier Bes (UA) 7-5, 2-6, 6-4
5. Daniel Buikema (UA) d. Jamie Cuellar (SC) 6-0, 6-2
6. Michael Jung (UA) d. Ivan Cressoni (SC) 6-4, 4-6, 6-1
Order of finish: 5,3,6,4,2,1*
Doubles
1. #19 Buikema/Thibaudeau (UA) d. Campos/Pulsfort (SC) 8-3
2. Felsenthal/Myneni (UA) vs. Cubas/Cressoni (SC) 4-5, susp.
3. Bes/Struyf (UA) d. Supeko/Stoddard (SC) 8-2
Order of finish:1,3*,2