Tide Downs Tribe in First Round of Blue-Gray Classic
3/11/2004 12:00:00 AM | Men's Tennis
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The University of Alabama men’s tennis team opened the Blue-Gray National Collegiate tournament with a thrilling 4-3 win over William & Mary at Lagoon Park in Montgomery, Ala. on Thursday. The match was the third straight decided by a single point for Alabama (5-4, 0-2 SEC).
Junior RJ Murray, who came to Alabama from North Carolina State in January, pulled off the match-clinching victory in three sets after squandering an opportunity to seal the match in the second set. Murray was ahead 6-2 in his second set tiebreaker with several match points, but allowed Alex Fish to come back and win the second set.
“I guess it wouldn’t be exciting if you didn’t blow 10 match points,” Murray said. “I was really fortunate to get ahead early in the third set and hold on to help the team win. We’re pumped about the win and looking forward to playing North Carolina.”
Alabama experimented with its doubles lineup Thursday, but still came up a match short of the opening point.
In singles, Stephen Mitchell won his second straight match for the Crimson Tide at No. 1 singles, defeating Jeff Kader in straight sets, while freshman Eric Molnar continued his good play this spring with a two-set win at No. 4. Freshman Joseph Jung also had to win a three-setter to extend his singles record.
Alabama will face 21st-ranked North Carolina at 11 a.m. on Friday. The Tarheels are the No. 4 seed in the tournament. To win the Blue-Gray National Collegiate Classic, a team must win four matches in four days.
Alabama 4, William and Mary 3
Doubles
1. Kane/Russell (WM) d. Mitchell/Molnar (UA) 8-6
2. Murray/Gostek (UA) d. Kelleher/Ward (WM) 8-5
3. Fish/Kader (WM) d. Jung/Green (UA) 8-5
Singles
1. Stephen Mitchell (UA) d. Jeff Kader (WM) 6-2, 6-4
2. Sean Kelleher (WM) d. Chris Gostek (UA) 6-2, 2-6, 7-6
3. Joseph Jung (UA) d. Steven Kane (WM) 7-5, 3-6, 6-2
4. Eric Molnar (UA) d. Stephen Ward (WM) 6-4, 3-0 ret. inj.
5. Geoff Russell (WM) d. Christian Brodersen (UA) 1-6, 6-3, 6-4
*6. RJ Murray (UA) d. Alex Fish (WM) 6-2, 6-7, 6-4
* clinched match
