Spartans Take Decision Over Eagles in Quarterfinals of SoCon Tournament
4/24/2009 5:51:00 PM | Men's Tennis
ELON, N.C. ? The Georgia Southern men's tennis team played a tight match in the quarterfinal round of the Southern Conference Tournament Friday morning (April 24), but fell 4-2 to the UNC Greensboro Spartans. Junior Gregory Bekkers and freshman Edio Castanhel recorded singles victories for the Eagles who fell to 10-9-1 overall this season and 5-4-1 in conference play.
Morning competition began with a hard fought doubles point that came down to a tiebreaker at the No.3 court. The junior tandem of Jayraj Jadeja and Justin Flynn gave Georgia Southern the doubles advantage finishing first, taking with them an 8-4 decision over William John and Taylor Befus at the two position. UNCG evened the playing field when Orcun Seyrek and Andrey Bubnov grabbed an 8-5 win over Matthew Sands and Joris De Weerdt at the top position, leaving the doubles point to the final court where Bekkers and Philip Prins were battling Yaroslav Litus and Jacob Wright.
The match was on serve until the Eagles broke the Spartans to go up 8-7. Georgia Southern had the chance to serve out the match, but the Spartans rallied back to break the Eagles, forcing a tiebreak. Bekkers and Prins battled hard, but ultimately fell in the tiebreaker as UNCG took the early lead heading into singles action.
Georgia Southern tied the match at one apiece when freshman Castanhel cruised to a 6-3, 6-3 singles victory over Taylor Befus from the six seed. The Eagles then took a 2-1 lead after Bekkers, competing at the No.3 seed, crushed Wright in straight 6-1 sets.
The lead was short lived as Litus notched a 6-4, 6-2 decision over Flynn from the five position, tying the match at 2-all. UNCG worked to within one to clinch the match when Bubnov defeated Jayraj at the three seed. The Eagle dropped the first set 6-3, but battled back in the second to force a second set tiebreak, where he fell 7-5.
UNCG clinched the match as the SoCon Player of the Year and Freshman of the Year, Seyrek, defeated senior De Weerdt from the top singles position. Seyrek broke away in the second set after De Weerdt pushed the Spartan in the first set that came down to a tiebreak decision. The Spartan broke De Weerdt in the second to secure a 7-6 (1), 6-3 match clinching decision.
With the win, the Spartans will take on Furman at 2 p.m. Saturday in the semifinal round.
“We had some opportunities in the match that we need to learn from to get better next year,” said head coach Justin Miles. “I want to thank the seniors for all their hard work they've put in at Georgia Southern.”
UNC Greensboro 4, Georgia Southern 2
Doubles:
1. Orcun Seyrek/Andrey Bubnov (UNCG) d. Matthew Sands/Joris De Weerdt (GSU) 8-5
2. Jayraj Jadeja/Justin Flynn (GSU) d. William John/Taylor Befus (UNCG) 8-4
3. Yaroslav Litus/Jacob Wright (UNCG) d. Gregory Bekkers/Philip Prins (GSU) 9-8 (1)*
Order of finish: 2, 1, 3
*Clinched the doubles point
Singles:
1. Orcun Seyrek (UNCG) d. Joris De Weerdt (GSU) 7-6 (2), 6-3*
2. Andrey Bubnov (UNCG) d. Jayraj Jadeja (GSU) 6-3, 7-6 (5)
3. Gregory Bekkers (GSU) d. Jacob Wright (UNCG) 6-1, 6-1
4. Alain Garrido (GSU) vs. William John (UNCG) 5-7, 6-3, 2-1, DNF
5. Yaroslav Litus (UNCG) d. Justin Flynn (GSU) 6-4, 6-2
6. Edio Castanhel (GSU) d. Taylor Befus (UNG) 6-3, 6-3
Order of finish: 6, 3, 5, 2, 1
*Clinched the match
