Men's Tennis Completes Day Two at SEC Indoors
1/17/2009 12:00:00 AM | Men's Tennis
Jan. 17, 2009
LEXINGTON, Ky. - Freshmen Ricky Doverspike and Michael Thompson defeated LSU's Sebastian Carlsson and Jonathan Tragardh 8-5 in the doubles consolation round Saturday at the SEC Coaches' Indoor Championships. The Crimson Tide pair will play Tennessee's Christian Hansen and Jeremy Tweedt Sunday at 1:30 p.m. in the semifinals.
Alabama also fielded a trio of players in singles with Thompson in the main draw and junior Houssam Yassine and Doverspike in the consolation draw. All three matches resulted in a loss for the Tide, but each was played into a decisive third set. Thompson faced off with Ole Miss' Devin Britton where the Tide newcomer won the first set 6-4. Britton came back and won the second set by the same score before taking the match off a 6-3 victory in the third. Yassine met up with Mississippi State's Antonio Lastre dropping a close first set 7-6(3). Yassine came back and won the second 6-3, but Lastre held on and won the match tiebreaker 9-7. Like Thompson, Doverspike came out on top in the first 6-4, but was topped by LSU's Sebastian Carlsson in the second set 6-3. In the tiebreak, Carlsson won 10-8 to collect the match win.
"Though we came up on the short end of the stick in the three singles matches that went down to the wire, we competed exceptionally well and did some good things," said head coach Billy Pate. "We were a bit unlucky, but we played three tough opponents and demonstrated the improvements I was hoping to see. Ricky has a wrist injury that isn't allowing him to come over his backhand, but he still managed change tactics and found a way to play effectively. Michael played toe-to-toe against last year's junior US Open finalist who is certainly one of the premier freshmen in the country. The fact he did this on a fast indoor court against this opponent, who is a great server and volleyer, says a lot."
Alabama will wrap up at the Championships Sunday with consolation doubles. The Tide plays in its first dual match of the season next weekend when it hosts Troy at 10:00 a.m. (CST) followed by Furman at 3:00 p.m. (CST). All action will take place at the Hank Crisp Indoor Facility.
RESULTS
Doubles
Doverspike/Thompson def. Carlsson/Tragardh (LSU) 8-5
Singles
Devin Britton (UM) def. Michael Thompson (UA) 4-6, 6-4, 6-3
Sebastien Carlsson (LSU) def. Ricky Doverspike (UA) 4-6, 6-3, 1-0 (8)
Antonio Lastre (MSU) def. Houssam Yassine (UA) 7-6(3), 3-6, 1-0 (7)
Players Mentioned
