March 11, 2011

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - The Samford University men's tennis team will play its ninth straight home match Saturday at 8 a.m. (CST) as the Bulldogs host the Murray State Racers in a non-conference duel to be held at the Samford Tennis Center. The matchup will conclude the Bulldogs' 32-day, nine-match homestand.

Samford (7-3) owns an impressive 7-2 record at home this season and a 6-2 mark during its current homestand.

The Bulldogs head into Saturday's showdown with aspirations of snapping a two-match losing streak. Since rattling off six straight victories against Jacksonville State, UNC Asheville, Gadsden State, Belmont, North Alabama and UAB, Samford has suffered back-to-back defeats versus Columbus State and UNC Greensboro.

In Thursday's 5-2 loss to UNC Greensboro, the Bulldogs dropped the doubles point and then suffered defeats in four of the six singles contests. Samford's doubles combination comprised of Zac Dunkle and Alexander Sajonz was victorious on court No. 2, 8-4, but the Bulldogs fell short in the matches held on courts No. 1 and No. 3.

Samford's Carson Kadi and Sajonz were both triumphant in singles play Thursday. Kadi, the Bulldogs' junior from New Orleans, La., earned a straight-set victory against UNC Greensboro's Orcun Seyrek on court No. 1, 7-6(3), 6-3, while Sajonz defeated Zach Reece, 6-2, 6-3, in the No. 6 singles contest.

With their wins, both Kadi and Sajonz improved to 7-2 in singles play this season.

Murray State (1-6) is in the midst of a three-match losing streak. Since picking up their lone win of the season at Western Kentucky on Feb. 13, the Racers have dropped consecutive outings against Kentucky 6-1, Southern Illinois 6-1 and Chattanooga 6-1.

In Thursday's road loss at Chattanooga, Murray State earned its only win of the match in the No. 5 singles contest as freshman Arthur Valle defeated William Disterdick 6-1, 6-1. Senior Luka Milicevic forced his singles match into three sets against Trent Cobb. Cobb earned a 6-2 win in the first set before Milicevic rebounded to take the second set 6-2. The final set was won by Cobb 6-1.

Last season, Samford registered a 5-2 victory at Murray State. In the win, the Bulldogs earned the doubles point and then received singles victories from Scott Foster, Oliver Reynolds, Kadi and Carl Abalos. Reynolds earned a three-set victory on court No. 2, while Abalos tallied a straight-set triumph in the No. 4 singles contest.

Samford jumped out to a quick 1-0 lead last season by taking the doubles point. The Bulldogs claimed the first score of the match with doubles wins on courts No. 1 and No. 2. In the No. 1 doubles match, Samford's combination of Reynolds and Abalos tallied an 8-5 victory, while the Bulldogs' tandem of Dunkle and Kadi registered an 8-3 triumph on court No. 2.

Kadi was also victorious in singles play as he breezed to a 6-1, 6-1 win on court No. 3. The Bulldogs' remaining singles victory occurred on court No. 1 as Foster knocked off the Racers' Ben Clos 6-4, 6-2.

Following Saturday's early-morning contest against Murray State, the Samford University men's tennis team will next be in action Sunday at noon (CST) as the Bulldogs begin a brief two-match, non-conference road trip against the Saint Leo Lions to be held in Saint Leo, Fla.