April 20, 2008

OVC TENNIS CHAMPIONSHIPS GALLERY

NASHVILLE, Tenn. --- Both the Samford men's and women's tennis teams won the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament Championship Sunday afternoon. The top-seeded women's team defeated second-seeded Eastern Kentucky, 4-0, and the second-seeded men's team won over fifth-seeded Jacksonville State, 4-3.

Both teams will now advance to the first round of the NCAA Tournament which will take place, May 9-10, at campus sites that will be determined at a later date.

The Championship is the first for the Bulldog men in the five years that Samford has been in the OVC while the women won their third in five years, with the women also winning titles in 2004 and 2006.

The Samford men took the court first at 10 a.m., Sunday, ready to take on a bitter rival in Jacksonville State. The Bulldogs took the doubles point with Jordan Delass and Richard Walsh winning, 8-0, at the No. 2 court and Renan Silveira and Kelwin Dewet winning, 8-5, at the N o. 3 court. Hank Grant and Sam Huffman fell at the No. 1 court, 8-6, to Chris Duke and Joey Unkenholz.

With Samford having the 1-0 advantage, Jacksonville State came out with a bang in singles and tied things up as the Gamecocks' Andres Amores defeated Oliver Reynolds (6-1, 6-3) at the No. 5 position. Delass fought through an injury and cramps and grabbed the first singles point for the Bulldogs, downing Chris Duke, 6-3, 6-0.

The remaining four courts would go into three sets and it became a heated battle against the in-state rival teams. Silveira and Brian Dushock would fall at the No. 1 and No. 3 courts, respectively, giving JSU the 3-2 lead and turning all eyes to the No. 4 and No. 6 courts where Grant and Huffman were also battling more than their opponents.

Huffman won his first set, 7-5, but then began to cramp up towards the end of his second set which he lost, 4-6. He pushed through, however, getting the win with a third set score of 7-5 and tying the team score with three matches a piece.

Suddenly all eyes were on Grant. Fighting nerves, cramps and an injury, Grant pushed through to the end and sealed the championship for the Bulldogs.

"The feeling is indescribable," said Samford senior Hank Grant. "We've wanted this for three years and finally got it this year. I didn't know I'd have to work that hard to get it but we finally did it."

"I knew it was coming down to me," said Grant. "I just had this weird feeling and I lost the same way when I was a sophomore. I kept cramping everywhere but I never stopped fighting, and I keep telling myself, `Next point, next point.' I'd get down and come back and then get down and come back. Coach (Baker) was right there with me and I just believe in these guys and wanted to do it for them."

Samford men's head coach Kemper Baker and his Bulldog will find out exactly where they will be playing in the NCAA Tournament later on this week. For now, they will enjoy the feeling that comes with their first conference championship.

"I was thrilled to have the opportunity to play Steve Bailey and his Jacksonville State team today," Baker said. "I really can't think of a better ending to our tenure in the OVC. It's been a great rivalry between these two teams, and I have the utmost respect for their coaches and their players."

"I felt like our guys came out in the doubles point with a lot of energy," Baker said. "We were fortunate to pull the doubles point out but we did expect a surge of energy from the Jacksonville State team in singles, which is what we got. So they came out and jumped on us early in singles and our guys, rather than backing off and getting tentative, pushed back, which is what we asked them to do. They believe in themselves and each other and we came out on top."

After seeing their male teammates win their first OVC Championship, the women were ready to play and do the same.

The Samford women took the doubles point, with Taylor Morgan and Lindsey Mallory winning, 8-4, at the No. 2 court while Andrie Meiring and Rebecca Kirven won, 8-5, at the No. 3 court.

Morgan then began things for the Bulldogs in singles play, downing her opponent, Svetlana Pimenova, in straight sets, 6-1, 6-1. Shortly after Katie Weaver won at the No. 4 court, 6-1, 6-3, and almost immediately following Kirven locked up the Bulldogs second tournament championship at the No. 5 court. All other matches were called.

Meiring and Mallory were staring at their third sets while Jackson was trying to close out a second set.

First year women's head coach David Vest was thrilled to see his team's hard work pay off and their perfect OVC season remain unstained.

"I think we saved the best for last," Vest said. "We got a 4-0 win yesterday and 4-0 win today against a team we beat 4-3 earlier this year. Eastern Kentucky is easily the second best team in the conference. We played great doubles, and it's good that we didn't have to wait around to 4-1 or 4-2."

Men's Results
Samford 4, Jacksonville State 3

Doubles
1. Chris Duke/Joey Unkenholz (JSU) def. Hank Grant/Sam Huffman (SAM) 8-6
2. Jordan Delass/Richard Walsh (SAM) def. Eduardo Suratt/Scott Robertson (JSU) 8-0
3. Renan Silveira/Kelvin Dewet (SAM) def. Andres Amores/Steffen Solomon (JSU) 8-5

Singles
1. Eduardo Suratt (JSU) def. Renan Silveira (SAM) 6-0, 5-7, 6-3
2. Jordan Delass (SAM) def. Chris Duke (JSU) 6-3, 6-0
3. Scott Robertson (JSU) def. Brian Dushock (SAM) 6-3, 6-7, 7-4
4. Hank Grant (SAM) def. Joey Unkenholz (JSU) 2-6, 6-2, 6-4
5. Steffen Solomon (JSU) def. Oliver Reynolds (SAM) 6-1, 6-3
6. Sam Huffman (SAM) def. Andres Amores (JSU) 7-5, 4-6, 7-5

Women's Results
Samford 4, Eastern Kentucky 0

Doubles
1. Svetlana Pimenova/Alexandra Sitnikova (EKU) def. Anna Jackson/Katie Weaver (SAM) 8-5
2. Taylor Morgan/Lindsey Mallory (SAM) def. Mereditth Giles/Jemma Euers (EKU) 8-4
3. Andrie Meiring/Rebecca Kirven (SAM) def. Anouk Faure/Vera Heimeroth (EKU) 8-5

Singles
1. Taylor Morgan (SAM) def. Svetlana Pimenova (EKU) 6-1, 6-1
2. Mereditth Giles (EKU) vs. Andrie Meiring (SAM) no result
3. Alexandra Sitnikova (EKU) vs. Anna Jackson (SAM) no result
4. Katie Weaver (SAM) def. Myriem Mhirit (EKU) 6-1, 6-3
5. Rebecca Kirven (SAM) def. Anouk Faure (EKU) 6-3, 6-3
6. Jemma Euers (EKU) vs. Lindsey Mallory (SAM) no result