March 17, 2012

Results

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - The Samford University men's tennis team improved to 4-0 in Southern Conference play Saturday as the Bulldogs registered a 6-1 triumph against the Georgia Southern Eagles in an early-league contest held at the Samford Tennis Center.

"We got off to a good start today, and didn't take our foot off the gas," said Samford head coach Rahim Esmail. "We didn't play our best doubles point, but we found a way to win, which carried a lot of momentum into the singles. We got off to a great start in singles, taking the first sets on all six courts. The guys are doing a much better job with their energy level, and it is showing in the performance."

Samford (10-2, 4-0 SoCon) extended its winning streak to seven-consecutive matches Saturday. The Bulldogs remained undefeated in conference play and have not suffered a defeat since dropping a hard-fought 4-2 decision versus Southern Miss on Feb. 11. Samford's four-straight home SoCon victories have come against Wofford, Appalachian State, Furman and Georgia Southern (1-14, 0-4 SoCon).

In Saturday's win over the Eagles, Samford took an early 1-0 lead by taking the doubles point. The Bulldogs claimed the doubles victory by winning on courts Nos. 2 and 3.

Samford's tandem comprised of Fernando Costa and Carson Kadi cruised to an 8-1 triumph over Georgia Southern's pairing of Marco Osorio and Daniel Rush on court No. 3, while the Bulldogs' No. 2 doubles team of Elliot Barnwell and Ryan Shidler clinched the point with a key 8-6 victory. Samford's duo of Barnwell and Shidler helped secure the Bulldogs' 1-0 lead with the win.

In singles play, Samford rattled off straight-set triumphs from Zac Dunkle, Barnwell, Costa, and Sajonz. Barnwell extended his winning streak to six-straight matches Saturday by defeating the Eagles' Andrew Dromsky, 6-2, 6-2, on court No. 3. With the victory, Barnwell improved his team-best singles record on the season to a near-perfect 11-1.

The Bulldogs' Dunkle, who recently defeated the 110th-ranked player in the nation Friday, continued his winning ways Saturday by breezing by Georgia Southern's Alain Garrido in the No. 1 singles contest, 6-1, 6-1. Dunkle extended his singles winning streak to five-straight matches.

Samford's sixth point was registered on court No. 2 where Kadi outlasted the Eagles' Kyle Hoffman, 6-4, 3-6, 1-0(8). The win proved to be Kadi's sixth in a row as he improved to 6-1 at the No. 2 singles position this season.

The Samford University men's tennis team will next be in action Wednesday at 1 p.m. (CDT) as the Bulldogs begin a two-match SoCon road trip against The Citadel Bulldogs in Charleston, S.C.