ROCK HILL, S.C. - First year South Atlantic Conference-member Anderson used a strong performance in doubles action en route to a 5-2 victory over No. 3 seed Brevard in the semifinals of the Food Lion SAC Men's Tennis Tournament on Thursday at the Rock Hill Tennis Center.
Anderson's Daniel Gonzalez used a 6-1, 7-5 triumph over Cole Alitzer to send the Trojans to their first SAC championship match in school history.
The Trojans came out strong in doubles competition as Gonzalez and Atema defeated Scott McCormick and Beau Wills 9-7. The Anderson pair took their tiebreaker over the Tornado duo by a score of 7-4.
Another hard-fought match was played at the No. 2 pairs flight where Deni Mehagic and Ilya Zakharov were able to grind out a 9-7 win over Brevard's Sam MacNeil and Alitzer. The Trojans shut out the Tornado pair in the tiebreaker set with a 7-0 tally.
Completing the sweep at doubles for Anderson were Jerome Branker and Trey Halbauer who doubled up Jarred Fisher and Shane Apps 8-4.
Not wanting to go away quietly, Brevard put a scare into the Trojans during singles action. At the No. 1 flight, McCormick defeated Atema 6-1, 6-2 in straight sets to trim the Anderson lead to one.
With the help of Wills, the Tornados crept even closer. The Brevard competitor scored a 6-0, 6-3 triumph over Zakharov to pull the Tornados to within one.
The Tornados could get no closer however, as Halbauer took a 6-1, 7-5 decision over Fisher to put the Tornados one point away from the SAC championship match.
Gonzalez then put away Alitzer to ensure the Trojans another match on Friday.
The No. 2 seeded Trojans will face off against No. 1 seed Wingate for the SAC Tournament championship on Friday. The match is set to begin at 9 a.m.
Tennis Match Results
No. 3 Brevard vs No. 2 Anderson
Apr 21, 2011 at Rock Hill, S.C.
(Rock Hill Tennis Center)
No. 2 Anderson 5, No. 3 Brevard 2
Singles competition
1. Scott McCormick (BCM) def. Stan Atema (AUM) 6-1, 6-2
2. Deni Mehagic (AUM) vs. Sam MacNeil (BCM) 4-6, 5-4,
unfinished
3. Beau Wills (BCM) def. Ilya Zakharov (AUM) 6-0, 6-3
4. Daniel Gonzalez (AUM) def. Cole Alitzer (BCM) 6-1, 7-5
5. Trey Halbauer (AUM) def. Jarred Fisher (BCM) 6-0, 7-5
6. Loic Ambrose (AUM) vs. Shane Apps (BCM) 4-1, unfinished
Doubles competition
1. Stan Atema/Daniel Gonzalez (AUM) def. Scott McCormick/Beau Wills
(BCM) 9-7 (7-4)
2. Deni Mehagic/Ilya Zakharov (AUM) def. Sam MacNeil/Cole Alitzer
(BCM) 9-7 (7-0)
3. Jerome Branker/Trey Halbauer (AUM) def. Jarred Fisher/Shane Apps
(BCM) 8-4
Match Notes:
No. 3 Brevard 14-8
No. 2 Anderson 13-8
Order of finish: Doubles (3,1,2); Singles (,1,3,5,4)
