Feb. 8, 2011

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - The Samford University men's tennis team will begin play in an eight-match, 34-day homestand Wednesday at 2 p.m. (CST) as the Bulldogs square off against their in-state rivals, the Jacksonville State Gamecocks, at the Samford Tennis Center.

Samford (1-1) heads into the showdown with aspirations of bouncing back from a 5-2 road loss at Georgia State on Sunday. In the defeat, the Bulldogs held on to win the doubles point with a thrilling 9-8(5) victory from Zac Dunkle and Alexander Sajonz on court No. 2.

Earlier in the doubles play, Samford received its first victory of the match with an 8-6 win from the combination of Oliver Reynolds and Carl Abalos on court No. 1.

Georgia State, which was playing at home at the Chattahoochee Plantation Center, rallied back from its early 1-0 deficit to win five of the six singles matches. With their resurgent play in the singles competition, the Panthers tallied Sunday's 5-2 non-conference victory.

Samford's lone win in singles play was a 6-3, 6-0 triumph from Abalos on court No. 4. With the victory, Abalos improved his singles record to 2-0 in the spring.

The Bulldogs' road match against Georgia State on Sunday will be their last away contest until March 13, when Samford travels to St. Leo, Fla., for a non-conference matchup against Saint Leo.

In the meantime, the Bulldogs will play eight-consecutive home matches against Jacksonville State (2-1), UNC-Asheville, Gadsden State, UAB, Belmont, North Alabama, Columbus State and UNC Greensboro.

Jacksonville State enters Wednesday's contest in the midst of a two-match winning streak. Since losing a season-opening dual at Tulane on Jan. 22, 7-0, the Gamecocks have rattled off back-to-back victories against Southern Miss 6-1 and Alabama State 7-0.

In Jacksonville State's sweep of Alabama State on Feb. 2, the Gamecocks grabbed the doubles point after wins at the top two courts. The Jacksonville State tandem of Gustavo Holz and Brian Kenyon edged Alabama State's top pairing 9-7. Jacksonville State's duo of Igor Santos and Nenad Marcec then shut out Lance Deleston and Kenneth Haten on court No. 2.

In singles play, the Red and White continued its dominance as Kenyon, Marcec, Santos and Holz claimed wins over their respective opponents. Felipe Watanabe and Eric Matthieson registered wins on courts No. 5 and No. 6 to complete the sweep. Watanabe ousted Alabama State's Roddrick Ivory, 6-3, 6-1, while Matthieson had little trouble with Deleston with a 6-1, 6-1 win.

Last season, in the annual meeting between Samford and Jacksonville State, the Bulldogs rallied for a 4-3 victory at the JSU Tennis Complex in Jacksonville, Ala.

In last year's meeting, Samford lost the doubles point, but then received key singles victories from Dunkle, Reynolds, Abalos and Adam Witcher to record the 4-3 triumph.

Jacksonville State won the doubles point with victories on courts No. 2 and No. 3. Samford's lone win in doubles play was an 8-3 triumph by Abalos and Reynolds at the No. 1 position.

In singles play, Samford's Dunkle cruised to a 6-2, 6-0 win on court No. 1, while Reynolds posted a 7-5, 6-2 victory against Jacksonville State's Chris Duke in the No. 3 singles matchup.

The Bulldogs' remaining two singles wins occurred on courts No. 5 and No. 6. In the No. 5 singles contest, Abalos breezed to a 6-1, 6-2 victory over Holz, while Witcher notched a win on court No. 6 as Watanabe was forced to retire due to an injury in the second set.

Following Wednesday's home showdown with in-state rival Jacksonville State, the Samford University men's tennis team will next be in action Sunday as the Bulldogs play host to both UNC-Asheville and Gadsden State at the Samford Tennis Center.