May 10, 2008
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. ---- The Samford men's tennis team capped off on outstanding season Saturday with a good showing in the first round of the NCAA Championship Tournament. The Bulldogs fell, 4-0, to 14th-seeded Florida State but fought hard to the very end.
"That was as high-quality a match as we've had all season," Samford head coach Kemper Baker said. "I think both teams played at a great level. They dealt with some hot conditions and both teams fought through it and really kept pushing each other."
The Bulldogs played three close doubles matches but eventually fell at the No. 1 and No. 3 courts, while the No. 2 duo match was left unfinished with Samford leading. Hank Grant and Sam Huffman took on the #15 doubles team in the nation in the Seminoles' Jean-Yves Aubone and Clint Bowles. Both duos fought a hard battle but the Bulldogs would come up short in the end.
Renan Silveira and Kelwin Dewet took on Andrew Bailey and Bradley Mixson at the No. 3 court but eventually fell, 8-5. Jordan Delass and Richard Walsh played an incredible match at the No. 2 court, and were leading 6-4, when the doubles portion of the match was called.
"The doubles point was crucial," said Baker. "Florida State's number three team handled some pressure situations later in the match very well, which was probably a deciding factor in the doubles point. Then the singles was kind of a dog fight all the way through. Unfortunately we came out on the short end of it but it was a great match."
Singles play began with four Bulldogs up over their opponents. However, Florida State mustered up some energy and Brain Dushock and Oliver Reynolds became the first Bulldogs to fall. Both fell 6-1, 6-1, to their opponents.
With FSU up with a 3-0 advantage, four senior Bulldogs were left on the court to battle it out for a last chance to advance to the second round. Delass began his match with a 2-0 lead in the first set at the No. 2 court, but Bowles fought back to win four straight games and eventually walked away with the 7-5, 6-2 win. With that, the Seminoles had clinched the team win.
The final three matches featuring Grant, Huffman and Silveira were left unfinished. Huffman and Grant were on the verge of splits with their opponents as they were up in the second sets while Renan Silveira was left his match with a score of 6-4, 5-2.
"It was exciting to have the four seniors left," said Baker. "It was kind of the same situation we were in at the OVC Tournament and at some other points in the year. We were down on the scoreboard, but still, if you are going to take any kind of comfort in your situation at all, you like having the experience out there.
The Bulldogs rounded out the season with a 18-8 record, going 11-1 in the Ohio Valley Conference. The earned their first conference tournament championship, lead by five seniors.
Doubles
1. #15 Jean-Yves Aubone/Clint Bowles (FSU) def. Hank Grant/Sam Huffman (SAM), 8-3
2. Jordan Delass/Renan Silveira (SAM) vs. Sam Chang/Maciek Sykut (FSU), 6-4, unfinished
3. Andrew Bailey/Bradley Mixson (FSU) def. Renan Silveira/Kelwin Dewet (SAM), 8-5
Singles
1. #13 Jean-Yves Aubone (FSU) vs. Renan Silveira (SAM), 6-4, 5-2, unfinished
2. #85 Clint Bowles (FSU) def. Jordan Delass (SAM), 7-5, 6-2
3. #92 Sam Chang (FSU) vs. Hank Grant (SAM), 6-4, 4-3, unfinished
4. Maciek Sykut (FSU) def. Brian Dushock (SAM), 6-1, 6-1
5. Chris Cloer (FSU) def. Oliver Reynolds (SAM), 6-1, 6-1
6. Drew Bailey (FSU) vs. Sam Huffman (SAM), 6-2, 5-3, unfinished
