Eagles Cap Season with 4-3 Win Over Samford
4/18/2010 10:05:00 PM | Men's Tennis
STATESBORO, Ga. – The doubles point proved to be the deciding difference in a close Southern Conference match at the Hanner Tennis Complex on Sunday, April 18. Georgia Southern took two of three doubles decisions, uprooting Samford, 4-3, in the final match of the 2010 season.
Georgia Southern closed out the season on a two-match win streak and finished 8-13 overall and 3-6 in Southern Conference play. Samford dropped to 12-12, 3-7 with the loss.
“It was a great senior day today and a great team effort,” said head coach Justin Miles. “Everyone contributed to this win in one way or another. We have been playing great tennis for the last couple of weeks and it's disappointing the season has to come to an end now.”
Samford took the first doubles match and held the advantage in doubles play for a minute with an 8-3 victory over Gregory Bekkers (Antwerp, Belgium) and Edio Castanhel (Criciuma, Brazil) at No. 3. But the Eagles responded with wins at the next two courts. An 8-6 win at the top seed evened the point as Juan Manuel Melian Puigventos (Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain) and Matthijs Verdam (Hilversum, The Netherlands) topped Carson Kadi and Michael Browder. The senior duo of Jayraj Jadeja (London, England) and Justin Flynn (Dublin, Ireland) clinched the point securing a 9-8 (4) win at the two seed over Zac Dunkle and Oliver Reynolds.
The conference teams split the singles matches proving the doubles to be the deciding factor of the match. Bekkers and Alain Garrido (Vigo, Spain) handed the Eagles a 3-0 lead with straight-set decisions at the six and four seeds to start singles play, respectively. Bekkers downed Adam Witcher, 6-3, 6-4, before Garrido ousted Abalos, 6-2, 6-3.
But Samford quickly came within one point with wins at the one and three seeds. Kadi edged Melian Puigventos at the top seed before Reynolds pulled out a two-set win with a second-set tiebreak.
It would be a three-set win at No. 5 that would seal the match for Georgia Southern. Senior Flynn took the first set from Foster, 6-2, but the Bulldog rallied for a second set win, 6-2, forcing a third set in which Flynn clinched the match winning 6-4.
With the match decided, Samford closed out competition winning at the two seed, also in a three-set battle. Dunkel and Jadeja split the first two sets before the Bulldog took the match with a 6-2 third set win.
“I am glad the seniors closed out their collegiate careers with a win today and have shown the younger players what they need to do to prepare for next year,” stated Miles. “I want to thank my three seniors, Jayraj, Justin and Greg, for their contributions to the program and their positive representation of Georgia Southern on and off the court. They will be greatly missed.”
Georgia Southern 4, Samford 3
Doubles:
1. Juan Manuel Melian Puigventos/Matthijs Verdam (GSU) d. Carson Kadi/Michael Browder (SAM) 8-6*
2. Jayraj Jadeja/Justin Flynn (GSU) d. Zac Dunkle/Oliver Reynolds (SAM) 9-8 (4)
3. Carl Abalos/Scott Foster (SAM) d. Gregory Bekkers/Edio Castanhel (GSU) 8-3
Order of finish: 3, 1, 2
Singles:
1. Carson Kadi (SAM) d. Juan Manuel Melian Puigventos (GSU) 7-5, 6-3
2. Zac Dunkle (SAM) d. Jayraj Jadeja (GSU) 6-4, 4-6, 6-2
3. Oliver Reynolds (SAM) d. Matthijs Verdam (GSU) 6-4, 7-6 (6)
4. Alain Garrido (GSU) d. Carl Abalos (SAM) 6-2, 6-3
5. Justin Flynn (GSU) d. Scott Foster (SAM) 6-2, 2-6, 6-4*
6. Gregory Bekkers (GSU) d. Adam Witcher (SAM) 6-3, 6-4
Order of finish: 4, 6, 1, 3, 5, 2
*Clinched the match
Georgia Southern closed out the season on a two-match win streak and finished 8-13 overall and 3-6 in Southern Conference play. Samford dropped to 12-12, 3-7 with the loss.
“It was a great senior day today and a great team effort,” said head coach Justin Miles. “Everyone contributed to this win in one way or another. We have been playing great tennis for the last couple of weeks and it's disappointing the season has to come to an end now.”
Samford took the first doubles match and held the advantage in doubles play for a minute with an 8-3 victory over Gregory Bekkers (Antwerp, Belgium) and Edio Castanhel (Criciuma, Brazil) at No. 3. But the Eagles responded with wins at the next two courts. An 8-6 win at the top seed evened the point as Juan Manuel Melian Puigventos (Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain) and Matthijs Verdam (Hilversum, The Netherlands) topped Carson Kadi and Michael Browder. The senior duo of Jayraj Jadeja (London, England) and Justin Flynn (Dublin, Ireland) clinched the point securing a 9-8 (4) win at the two seed over Zac Dunkle and Oliver Reynolds.
The conference teams split the singles matches proving the doubles to be the deciding factor of the match. Bekkers and Alain Garrido (Vigo, Spain) handed the Eagles a 3-0 lead with straight-set decisions at the six and four seeds to start singles play, respectively. Bekkers downed Adam Witcher, 6-3, 6-4, before Garrido ousted Abalos, 6-2, 6-3.
But Samford quickly came within one point with wins at the one and three seeds. Kadi edged Melian Puigventos at the top seed before Reynolds pulled out a two-set win with a second-set tiebreak.
It would be a three-set win at No. 5 that would seal the match for Georgia Southern. Senior Flynn took the first set from Foster, 6-2, but the Bulldog rallied for a second set win, 6-2, forcing a third set in which Flynn clinched the match winning 6-4.
With the match decided, Samford closed out competition winning at the two seed, also in a three-set battle. Dunkel and Jadeja split the first two sets before the Bulldog took the match with a 6-2 third set win.
“I am glad the seniors closed out their collegiate careers with a win today and have shown the younger players what they need to do to prepare for next year,” stated Miles. “I want to thank my three seniors, Jayraj, Justin and Greg, for their contributions to the program and their positive representation of Georgia Southern on and off the court. They will be greatly missed.”
Georgia Southern 4, Samford 3
Doubles:
1. Juan Manuel Melian Puigventos/Matthijs Verdam (GSU) d. Carson Kadi/Michael Browder (SAM) 8-6*
2. Jayraj Jadeja/Justin Flynn (GSU) d. Zac Dunkle/Oliver Reynolds (SAM) 9-8 (4)
3. Carl Abalos/Scott Foster (SAM) d. Gregory Bekkers/Edio Castanhel (GSU) 8-3
Order of finish: 3, 1, 2
Singles:
1. Carson Kadi (SAM) d. Juan Manuel Melian Puigventos (GSU) 7-5, 6-3
2. Zac Dunkle (SAM) d. Jayraj Jadeja (GSU) 6-4, 4-6, 6-2
3. Oliver Reynolds (SAM) d. Matthijs Verdam (GSU) 6-4, 7-6 (6)
4. Alain Garrido (GSU) d. Carl Abalos (SAM) 6-2, 6-3
5. Justin Flynn (GSU) d. Scott Foster (SAM) 6-2, 2-6, 6-4*
6. Gregory Bekkers (GSU) d. Adam Witcher (SAM) 6-3, 6-4
Order of finish: 4, 6, 1, 3, 5, 2
*Clinched the match
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