Alabama Defeats Clemson 5-2

Feb. 15, 2009

CLEMSON, SC – The 19th-ranked Alabama Crimson Tide picked up a 5-2 victory over the Clemson Tigers in a men’s intercollegiate tennis match in Clemson, SC on Sunday afternoon.

Alabama improves to 6-1 this season, while Clemson falls to 4-4 this year. The Tigers are ranked 61st in the latest ITA poll. Alabama is ranked 19th nationally by the same poll this week.

The Crimson Tide won the initial point by picking up victories in two of the three doubles matches. The Tigers responded by evening the score courtesy of Carlos Alvarez’s 6-3, 6-2 win over Alabama’s Saketh Myneni in number one singles.

Mathieu Thibaudeau of Alabama defeated Gera Boryachinskiy of Clemson 6-4, 6-2 in number two singles to help the Crimson Tide regain the lead.

The Tigers answered back with a victory in number three singles, as Rok Bizjak knocked off the Crimson Tide’s Michael Thompson 6-1, 6-2 to tie the score at 2-2.

In number four singles, Billy Mertz of the Crimson Tide picked up a win over Kevin Fleck of the Tigers 6-2, 6-2 to give Alabama the lead for good.

The Crimson Tide’s Dan Buikema defeated the Tigers’ Kevin Galloway 6-3, 6-4 in number five singles to clinch the match for the visitors.

In the most compelling match of the afternoon, Michael Jung of Alabama defeated Taylor Cohen of Clemson 5-7, 6-2, 7-6 (10-4) in number six singles for the Crimson Tide’s fifth and final point.

This was the 15th meeting between Clemson and Alabama on the tennis courts. Alabama now leads the overall series 11-4. The series began on April 1, 1941 with the Crimson Tide winning the inaugural match 5-2 that year in Tuscaloosa, AL.

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.

Clemson will play host to Navy and Dartmouth on Saturday, February 28, in the Tigers’ next action. The Navy match will begin at 9:00 a.m. and the Dartmouth match will begin at 2:30 p.m.

Alabama 5, Clemson 2Doubles 1. Mathieu Thibaudeau-Dan Buikema (ALA) d. Gera Boryachinskiy-Rok Bizjak (CU) 8-4 2. Saketh Myneni-Billy Mertz (ALA) d. Wesley Moran-Carlos Alvarez (CU) 8-6 3. Robert Pietrucha-Kevin Galloway (CU) d. Michael Thompson-Ricky Doverspike (ALA) 8-4

Singles 1. Carlos Alvarez’s (CU) d. Saketh Myneni (ALA) 6-3, 6-2 2. Mathieu Thibaudeau (ALA) d. Gera Boryachinskiy (CU) 6-4, 6-2 3. Rok Bizjak (CU) d. Michael Thompson (ALA) 6-1, 6-2 4. Billy Mertz (ALA) d. Kevin Fleck (CU) 6-2, 6-2 5. Dan Buikema (ALA) d. Kevin Galloway (CU) 6-3, 6-4 6. Michael Jung (ALA) d. Taylor Cohen (CU) 5-7, 6-2, 1-0