Patriots fall to Pirates in PBC tennis battle
FLORENCE, SC – Francis Marion University trailed by only a 2-1 count after doubles play, but the top-ranked Armstrong Atlantic State University men’s and women’s tennis teams swept all the singles matches to claim a pair of 8-1 victories, Monday afternoon (April 12) in Peach Belt Conference tennis action.
The 13th-ranked Francis Marion women fall to 14-4 overall and 9-3 in the Peach Belt, while the 13th-ranked Patriot men drop to 9-6 and 5-4.
The AASU women improve to 24-0 and 12-0 and win their 74th consecutive Peach Belt contest dating back to 2003. The Pirate men are 24-1 and 9-0, but for the first time this season do not beat a PBC opponent by a 9-0 count. AASU rebounded from a Saturday loss at Valdosta State University that ended the team’s 46-match winning streak.
In the men’s match, the two squads traded doubles wins at positions No.2 and 3. In a match-up of Top-6 duos at the No.1 position, FMU’s Oshada Wijemanne and Dilshod Sharifi, ranked sixth, rallied from a 7-4 deficit to within 7-6, but could not even the match with AASU’s top-ranked team of Rafael Array and Mikk Irdoja.
At No.1 singles, FMU’s Sharifi suffered his first loss of the season as the nation’s No. 1 singles player lost to the sixth-ranked Irdoja 7-5 and 6-3.
In the women’s match, FMU captured a win at the No.2 position, but AASU claimed easy wins at the No.1 and 3 spots.
Both FMU squads will celebrate Senior Day on Wednesday when the Patriots entertain Anderson University at 4 p.m. on the Kassab Courts.
Men’s Tennis Match Results Apr 12, 2010 at Florence, SC #1 Armstrong Atlantic State 8, #13 Francis Marion University 1
Singles competition 1. #6 Mikk Irdoja (AASU) def. #1 Dilshod Sharifi (FMUM) 7-5, 6-3 2. #11 Eudaldo Bonet (AASU) def. #14 Oshada Wijemanne (FMUM) 6-4, 6-2 3. #7 Rafael Array (AASU) def. Dirk Bair (FMUM) 6-2, 6-1 4. #37 Matus Mydla (AASU) def. Alex Caspari (FMUM) 6-0, 6-1 5. Daniel Regan (AASU) def. Karl Rogers (FMUM) 6-4, 1-0, by default 6. Paul Fitzgerald (AASU) def. Jack Bishop (FMUM) 6-0, 6-4 Doubles competition 1. #1 Rafael Array/Mikk Irdoja (AASU) def. #6 Oshada Wijemanne/Dilshod Sharifi (FMUM) 8-6 2. Matus Mydla/Daniel Regan (AASU) def. Dirk Bair/Jack Bishop (FMUM) 8-4 3. Karl Rogers/Alex Caspari (FMUM) def. Paul Fitzgerald/Eudaldo Bonet (AASU) 8-3
Match Notes: Armstrong Atlantic State 24-1 , 9-0; National ranking #1; Regional ranking #1 Francis Marion University 9-6 , 5-4; National ranking #13; Regional ranking #4 Order of finish: Doubles (3,2,1); Singles () The first time this season AASU has not won a PBC match 9-0 Official: Mike Duffy T-4:10 A-100
Women’s Tennis Match Results Apr 12, 2010 at Florence, SC #1 Armstrong Atlantic State 8, #13 Francis Marion University 1
Singles competition 1. #2 Sona Novakova (AASU) def. #36 Sabina Baberadova (FMU) 6-3, 6-1 2. #4 Alida Muller-Wehlau (AASU) def. #9 Tereza Sykorova (FMU) 6-3, 6-2 3. #21 Gabriella Kovacs (AASU) def. #34 Jitka Gavdunova (FMU) 6-1, 4-6, 10-6 4. #27 Martina Beckmann (AASU) def. Kerry Hall (FMU) 6-0, 6-4 5. #41 Kathleen Henry (AASU) def. Mona Blauen (FMU) 6-7 (9-11), 6-2, 10-4 6. Alisa Kagukina (AASU) def. Rachel Rubin (FMU) 6-0, 6-0 Doubles competition 1. #3 Alida Muller-Wehlau/Martina Beckmann (AASU) def. #2 Tereza Sykorova/Sabina Baberadova (FMU) 8-3 2. #13 Jitka Gavdunova/Mona Blauen (FMU) def. #4 Sona Novakova/Gabriella Kovacs (AASU) 8-6 3. Kathleen Henry/Alisa Kagukina (AASU) def. Kerry Hall/Karine Augur (FMU) 8-0
Match Notes: Armstrong Atlantic State 24-0 , 12-0; National ranking #1; Regional ranking #1 Francis Marion University 14-4 , 9-3; National ranking #13; Regional ranking #4 Order of finish: Doubles (3,1,2); Singles () AASU's 74th consecutive PBC match win Official: Mike Duffy T-4:10 A-100
