Feb. 24, 2011

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - The Samford University men's tennis team will attempt to extend its winning streak to five-consecutive matches Friday as the Bulldogs welcome the North Alabama Lions to the Samford Tennis Center for an early-season, in-state showdown.

Samford (5-1) heads into the contest riding the positive momentum of a four-match winning streak. Since falling short at Georgia State 5-2 on Feb. 6, the Bulldogs have rattled off identical 7-0 home victories against Jacksonville State, UNC Asheville, Gadsden State and Belmont.

Earlier this season, Samford opened its 2011 spring campaign with a 7-0 home triumph versus Alabama-Huntsville on Feb. 5. In their five matches held at the Samford Tennis Center this year, the Bulldogs have outscored the opposition by a total of 35-0.

Against Belmont on Saturday, Samford earned the doubles point with victories on courts No. 2 and No. 3. The Bulldogs' combination of Zac Dunkle and Alexander Sajonz defeated Belmont's pairing of Bruno Silva and Jonathan Murrell in the No. 2 doubles contest, while Samford's tandem of Carson Kadi and Fernando Costa topped the Bruins' duo of Felipe Cirne Lima and Christopher Bates on court No. 3, 8-4.

After earning the doubles point, the Bulldogs received singles wins from Kadi, Dunkle, Carl Abalos, Oliver Reynolds, Costa and Sajonz to register the 7-0 team victory.

Samford dominated the bottom half of the lineup as Reynolds tallied a 6-0, 6-1 win on court No. 4, Costa earned a 6-0, 6-0 victory in the No. 5 singles match and Sajonz defeated Bates 6-0, 6-1 on court No. 6.

Dunkle, the Bulldogs' reigning Southern Conference Player of the Week, cruised to a 6-0, 6-4 triumph in the No. 2 singles contest, while Kadi outlasted Belmont's Rodrigo Amaral 6-1, 3-6, 10-7 on court No. 1. Samford's Abalos was also victorious in a three-set battle as he tallied a 6-4, 1-6, 10-3 win against Silva on court No. 3.

Abalos remained undefeated in singles play this season and improved his record to 5-0. The Bulldogs' Costa, Dunkle, Kadi, Reynolds and Sajonz all moved to 4-1 in singles play this year.

North Alabama (0-4) heads into Friday's dual match with aspirations of earning its first victory of the season. So far this year, the Lions have been defeated by Chattanooga, Lipscomb, Memphis and UAB. In Tuesday's loss against UAB, the Blazers won the doubles point and then captured victories in five of the six singles matches en route to their 6-1 win.

North Alabama's lone victory in the match occurred on court No. 3 as Rob Whitsitt defeated UAB's Danny Manlow 6-4, 7-6 (3).

Following Friday's home contest with North Alabama, the Samford University men's tennis team will next be in action March 4 at 6 p.m. (CST) as the Bulldogs continue their month-long, nine-match homestand against the UAB Blazers. The intra-city showdown will be held at the Samford Tennis Center.