April 9, 2008

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. ---- The Samford men's tennis team fell to No. 24-ranked Alabama, 6-1, Wednesday night in a non-conference match-up at the Pat M. Courington Tennis Pavilion. The match was the second of a double-header for the Bulldogs, as they played at Tennessee State earlier Wednesday and won, 7-0. Samford is now 11-7, 6-0 in Ohio Valley Conference play.

Alabama (19-8, 6-4 SEC) took the early advantage by winning all three doubles matches to earn the first point of the match. The Tide would go on to win five of the six singles matches to bring the team score to 6-1.

Samford's Hank Grant was the only Bulldog to be victorious of his Alabama opponent. The senior defeated Houssam Yassine at the No. 5 court in three sets, 6-4, 3-6, 10-6.

The Samford men join the Samford women this weekend in hosting three conference opponents for the last homestand of the 2008 season. The Bulldog tennis teams will host Eastern Kentucky on Friday, Morehead State on Saturday and Tennessee Tech on Sunday. Samford's seniors will also be honored on Sunday in the last home match.

No. 24 Alabama 6, Samford 1

Doubles
1. Thibaudeau/Buikema (UA) def. Grant/Huffman (SAM), 8-3
2. Struyf/Bes (UA) def. Walsh/Delass (SAM), 8-2
3. Myneni/Jung (UA) def. Silveira/Dewet (SAM), 8-4

Singles
1. Mathieu Thibaudeau (UA) def. Jordan Delass (SAM), 6-3, 6-3
2. Saketh Myneni (UA) def. Renan Silveira (SAM), 7-6, 7-5
3. Sammy Struyf (UA) def. Brian Dushock (SAM), 6-4, 6-4
4. Daniel Buikema (UA) def. Sam Huffman (SAM), 6-3, 6-3
5. Hank Grant (SAM) def. Houssam Yassine (UA), 6-4, 3-6, 10-6
6. Andrew Felsenthal (UA) def. Oliver Reynolds (SAM), 4-6, 6-3, 6-3