#15 Florida State defeats Clemson 6-1

March 7, 2009

CLEMSON, SC – Number 15th-ranked Florida State defeated Clemson 6-1 in a men’s Atlantic Coast Conference tennis match at Clemson, SC Saturday afternoon.

With the win, Florida State improves its record to 11-5 overall and 2-0 in the ACC. Clemson falls to 6-6 this season and 0-3 in league play. The Seminoles are ranked 15th nationally in the latest ITA poll. Clemson is ranked 68th in the same poll.

Florida State won the doubles point after winning all three doubles matches.

Chris Cloer of Florida State defeated Kevin Galloway at number five singles 6-3, 6-4 to give the Seminoles a 2-0 lead.

Florida State took a 3-0 advantage when Vahid Mirzadeh defeated the Tigers’ Kevin Fleck at number four singles 6-1, 7-5.

Ike Belk of Clemson defeated Chris Reiman at number six singles 7-5, 6-2 to make the score 3-1. The Seminoles clinched the match and took a 4-1 lead as Maciek Sykut defeated Clemson’s Rok Bizjak 6-3, 6-4 at number three singles.

The Seminoles won the remaining two singles matches as 28th-ranked Jean-Yves Aubone defeated Clemson’s Carlos Alvarez at number one singles 7-6, 6-3.

The Seminoles’ and 42nd-ranked Clint Bowles won over Gera Boryachinskiy at number two singles, 4-6, 7-5, 6-3.

Clemson will play host to the College of Charleston on Wednesday, March 11 at 2:30 p.m. in the Tigers’ next action. The Tigers will also play host to Stetson on Saturday, March 14, at 10:00 a.m.

“I continue to stay encouraged,” said Clemson Head Coach Chuck McCuen. “We play hard and we continue to believe in ourselves. We need to take care of some details, and we will continue to work hard and improve as the season progresses. We are learning from the losses, and we will continue to play hard and not give up.”

Clemson continues to lead the overall series with Florida State 17-14. The series began in 1962.

The 2009 season marks the 100th year of men’s tennis at Tigertown. Clemson first sponsored men’s tennis in 1910 when two Tiger tennis players entered the annual state tournament. The first dual match was played in the 1921 season as the Tigers defeated Wofford 2-0 on April 28, in Spartanburg, SC.

Florida State 6, Clemson 1

Doubles 1. Jean-Yves Aubone/Vahid Mirzadeh (FSU) d. Carlos Alvarez/Rok Bizjak (CU) 8-3 2. Maciek Sykut/Andrew Bailey (FSU) d. Gera Boryachinskiy/Wes Moran (CU) 8-4 3. Clint Bowles/Chris Reiman (FSU) d. Robert Pietruca/Kevin Galloway (CU) 8-7 Order of finish: (1, 2, 3)

Singles 1. #28 Jean-Yves Aubone (FSU) d. Carlos Alvarez (CU) 7-6, 6-3 2. #42 Clint Bowles (FSU) d. Gera Boryachinskiy (CU) 4-6, 7-5, 6-3 3. Maciek Sykut (FSU) d. Rok Bizjak (CU) 6-3, 6-4 4. Vahid Mirzadeh (FSU) d. Kevin Fleck (CU) 6-1, 7-5 5. Chris Cloer (FSU) d. Kevin Galloway (CU) 6-3, 6-4 6. Ike Belk (CU) d. Chris Reiman (FSU) 7-5, 6-2 Order of Finish: (5, 4, 6, 3, 1, 2)