Alabama Picks Up Two Wins in Double-header
4/12/2007 12:00:00 AM | Men's Tennis
TUSCALOOSA, Ala.- The No. 15 University of Alabama men's tennis team defeated Samford and UAB in a double-header today at the UA Varsity Courts. Senior Joseph Jung posted two singles wins and a doubles win in the last home match of his career.
"I am going to miss playing here because I have a lot of good memories from this place," said Tide senior Joseph Jung. "It's always great to win and to win all three matches at home for the last time was amazing."
The Crimson Tide started off strong in both matches as they swept the doubles, earning the point for the eighth and ninth consecutive times this season. The No. 1 tandem of Dan Buikema and Mathieu Thibaudeau earned the first win for the Tide over Samford, while Javier Bes and Sammy Struyf clinched the point with an 8-4 victory over Samford's Stuart Misner and Hank Grant at the No. 2 slot. Saketh Myneni and Jordie Kindervater added another victory at the No. 3 position.
Against UAB, Billy Mertz and Bes set the stage for the rest of the team with an 8-1 victory over Adrian Tollstam and Kruno Despotovski. Joseph Jung and Myneni clinched the match for the Tide by defeating UAB's Johannes Spangenberg and Tim Bauer, 8-2. First time partners, Buikema and Kindervater secured the final victory for Alabama in a tie-breaker over Thomas Weiss and Alex Emery, 8-7 (3).
Alabama continued to dominate Samford in singles, taking the first three contests to win the match. Thibaudeau defeated his opponent in straight sets at the No. 4 slot to give the Tide a 2-0 lead, while the Tide's Billy Mertz picked up his first win from the No. 1 slot, defeating Renan Silveira, 6-0, 6-2.
Freshman Houssam Yassine clinched the match for the Tide for the first time this season with a 6-3, 6-2 victory over Kelvin Dewet. Alabama won the next two matches at Nos. 3 and 6 and ended the match with a win by Joseph Jung at the No. 2 slot.
Struyf cruised by UAB's Thomas Weiss at the No. 2 slot, 6-0, 6-1, extending the lead to 2-0. With an Alabama loss at No. 6 UAB pulled within one but the Tide's Myneni came up with a win at No. 4 to give Alabama a two point lead.
Joseph Jung clinched the match for the Tide on senior night with a straight set victory over UAB's Spangenberg. With the win, Jung moves within one match of becoming the only Tide player to log four 20-plus singles wins in season. Alabama finished the match with a win at No. 3 as Bes outlasted his opponent in three sets, 2-6, 6-1, 7-5.
Alabama travels to Auburn Saturday to finish up the regular season.
-UA-
No. 15 Alabama 7, Samford 0
Tuscaloosa, Ala.
UA Varsity Courts
Time: 3 hrs. 50 min.
Singles Competiton:
1. No. 86 Billy Mertz (UA) def. Renan Silveira (SU) 6-0, 6-2
2. No. 82 Joseph Jung (UA) def. Stuart Misner (SU) 6-4, 4-6, 6-1
3. Sammy Struyf (UA) def. Sam Huffman (SU) 6-2, 6-4
4. Mathieu Thibaudeau (UA) def. Hank Grant (SU) 6-2, 6-2
5. Houssam Yassine (UA) def. Kelwin Dewet (SU) 6-3, 6-2
6. Dan Buikema (UA) def. Brian Dushock (SU) 7-5, 7-5
Doubles Competition:
1. No. 26 Dan Buikema/Mathieu Thibaudeau (UA) def. Renan Silveira (SU) 8-5
2. Javier Bes/Sammy Struyf (UA) def. Stuart Misner/Hank Grant (SU) 8-4
3. Saketh Myneni/Jordie Kindervater (UA) def. Brian Dushock/Kelwin deWit (SU) 8-3
Order of finish: Doubles (1,2*,3); Singles (4,1,5*3,6,2)
No. 15 Alabama 5, UAB 2
Tuscaloosa, Ala.
Time: 3 hrs. 20 min.
Singles Competition:
1. No. 82 Joseph Jung (UA) def. Johannes Spangenberg (UAB) 6-4, 6-2
2. Sammy Struyf (UA) def. Thomas Weiss (UAB) 6-0, 6-1
3. Javier Bes (UA) def. Kruno Despotovski (UAB) 2-6, 6-1, 7-5
4. Saketh Myneni (UA) def. Tim Bauer (UAB) 7-6, 6-1
5. Alex Emery (UAB) def. Houssam Yassine (UA) 3-6, 7-5, 6-1
6. Thomas Petrich (UAB) def. Taylor Striplin (UA) 6-1, 6-4
Doubles Competition:
1. Saketh Myneni/Joseph Jung (UA) def. Johannes Spangenberg/Tim Bauer (UAB) 8-2
2. Javier Bes/Billy Mertz (UA) def. Adrian Tollstam/Kruno Despotovski (UAB) 8-1
3. Dan Buikema/Jordie Kindervater (UA) def. Thomas Weiss/Alex Emery (UAB) 8-7 (3)
Order of finish: Doubles (2,1*,3); Singles (2,6,4, 1*,5,3)
