Eagles Open Conference Play with 5-2 Win Over App State
3/6/2009 5:06:00 AM | Men's Tennis
STATESBORO, GA ? In what became a four-hour battle, the Georgia Southern men's tennis team opened its Southern Conference slate on Friday afternoon (March 6) with a 5-2 mark over Appalachian State. The win on their home court improved the Eagles to a 5-2 overall mark on the season and 1-0 conference ledger. Meanwhile, the Mountaineers fell to 4-3, 0-1.
“As our first SoCon match, it was very close. The guys showed a lot of heart that brought them through at the end,” said head coach Justin Miles.
The Eagles opened match play on a strong note, taking the doubles point with the first two matches off the court and the early advantage. The senior Eagle duo of Joris De Weerdt and Matthew Sands finished first, taking an 8-4 decision over Bobby Lake and Lee Floyd. Juniors Jayraj Jadeja and Justin Flynn clinched the point for Georgia Southern at the two seed with an 8-6 decision over Trent Constance and Peter Jacobs. The Eagles were edged at the three seed as Britton Webb and Phillip Kloc narrowly outlasted Gregory Bekkers and Philip Prins, 9-7.
“Doubles was important to win for us and that really helped with the momentum of the match,” Miles stated. This marks the sixth time this season the Eagles have clinched the doubles point.
Georgia Southern quickly secured its first conference decision winning the first three singles matches off the court. Prins and Edio Castanhel rapidly pushed the score to 3-0 with wins at the six and five seeds, respectively. Prins recorded his third dual match win of the season from the six position when he cruised to a 6-1, 6-3 victory over Alain Hamblet while freshman Castanhel recorded a victory over Kloc from the five seed with identical 6-3 tallies. Bekkers clinched the match for the Eagles at the No. 3 seed as the Antwerp, Belgium native took two quick sets over Jacobs to secure the match win.
After the win was already decided, the Mountaineers recorded their lone two singles victories from the four and two seeds, respectively before De Weerdt rounded out the match with one last singles win for the Eagles at the top seed. The senior Eagle took down Lake in a match tiebreaker, dropping the first set 2-6, but rebounding in the second, 7-6 (3). The conference opponents traded points in the match tiebreaker until De Weerdt broke Lake to secure the 11-9 tiebreak score.
Georgia Southern is back in action beginning its longest stretch on the road starting March 15 at South Alabama. First serve in Mobile is slated for 10 a.m.
Georgia Southern 5, Appalachian State 2
Doubles:
1. Joris De Weerdt/Matthew Sands (GSU) d. Bobby Lake/Lee Floyd (ASU) 8-4
2. Jayraj Jadeja/Justin Flynn (GSU) d. Trent Constance/Peter Jacobs (ASU) 8-6
3. Britton Webb/Phillip Kloc (ASU) d. Gregory Bekkers/Philip Prins (GSU) 9-7
Order of finish: 1, 2, 3
Singles:
1. Joris De Weerdt (GSU) d. Bobby Lake (ASU) 2-6, 7-6(3), 1-0 (11-9)
2. Trent Constance (ASU) d. Jayraj Jadeja (GSU) 7-6(5), 4-6, 1-0 (10-6)
3. Gregory Bekkers (GSU) d. Peter Jacobs (ASU) 6-4, 7-5 *
4. Lee Floyd (ASU) d. Alain Garrido (GSU) 6-1, 7-5
5. Edio Castanhel (GSU) d. Philip Kloc (ASU) 6-3, 6-3
6. Philip Prins (GSU) d. Alain Humblet (ASU) 6-1, 6-3
Order of finish: 6, 5, 3, 4, 2, 1
*Clinched the match
“As our first SoCon match, it was very close. The guys showed a lot of heart that brought them through at the end,” said head coach Justin Miles.
The Eagles opened match play on a strong note, taking the doubles point with the first two matches off the court and the early advantage. The senior Eagle duo of Joris De Weerdt and Matthew Sands finished first, taking an 8-4 decision over Bobby Lake and Lee Floyd. Juniors Jayraj Jadeja and Justin Flynn clinched the point for Georgia Southern at the two seed with an 8-6 decision over Trent Constance and Peter Jacobs. The Eagles were edged at the three seed as Britton Webb and Phillip Kloc narrowly outlasted Gregory Bekkers and Philip Prins, 9-7.
“Doubles was important to win for us and that really helped with the momentum of the match,” Miles stated. This marks the sixth time this season the Eagles have clinched the doubles point.
Georgia Southern quickly secured its first conference decision winning the first three singles matches off the court. Prins and Edio Castanhel rapidly pushed the score to 3-0 with wins at the six and five seeds, respectively. Prins recorded his third dual match win of the season from the six position when he cruised to a 6-1, 6-3 victory over Alain Hamblet while freshman Castanhel recorded a victory over Kloc from the five seed with identical 6-3 tallies. Bekkers clinched the match for the Eagles at the No. 3 seed as the Antwerp, Belgium native took two quick sets over Jacobs to secure the match win.
After the win was already decided, the Mountaineers recorded their lone two singles victories from the four and two seeds, respectively before De Weerdt rounded out the match with one last singles win for the Eagles at the top seed. The senior Eagle took down Lake in a match tiebreaker, dropping the first set 2-6, but rebounding in the second, 7-6 (3). The conference opponents traded points in the match tiebreaker until De Weerdt broke Lake to secure the 11-9 tiebreak score.
Georgia Southern is back in action beginning its longest stretch on the road starting March 15 at South Alabama. First serve in Mobile is slated for 10 a.m.
Georgia Southern 5, Appalachian State 2
Doubles:
1. Joris De Weerdt/Matthew Sands (GSU) d. Bobby Lake/Lee Floyd (ASU) 8-4
2. Jayraj Jadeja/Justin Flynn (GSU) d. Trent Constance/Peter Jacobs (ASU) 8-6
3. Britton Webb/Phillip Kloc (ASU) d. Gregory Bekkers/Philip Prins (GSU) 9-7
Order of finish: 1, 2, 3
Singles:
1. Joris De Weerdt (GSU) d. Bobby Lake (ASU) 2-6, 7-6(3), 1-0 (11-9)
2. Trent Constance (ASU) d. Jayraj Jadeja (GSU) 7-6(5), 4-6, 1-0 (10-6)
3. Gregory Bekkers (GSU) d. Peter Jacobs (ASU) 6-4, 7-5 *
4. Lee Floyd (ASU) d. Alain Garrido (GSU) 6-1, 7-5
5. Edio Castanhel (GSU) d. Philip Kloc (ASU) 6-3, 6-3
6. Philip Prins (GSU) d. Alain Humblet (ASU) 6-1, 6-3
Order of finish: 6, 5, 3, 4, 2, 1
*Clinched the match
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