Clemson Defeats The Citadel Saturday

Jan. 24, 2009

CLEMSON, SC–Clemson opened its season on a positive note, defeating The Citadel 7-0 in a men’s intercollegiate tennis match at the Hoke Sloan Tennis Center in Clemson, SC on Saturday afternoon.

This match was also the first contest for new Clemson Head Coach Chuck McCuen. McCuen was named the Tigers’ head mentor in July 2008.

The Tigers won all three doubles matches, with the closest match coming in an 8-4 victory by Gera Boryachinskiy and Rok Bizjak over Yufo Sutantio and Alberto Diaz of the Bulldogs.

Clemson swept all six singles matches, winning each one in straight sets. Bizjak defeated The Citadel’s Mike Kociecki 6-1, 6-3 at number one singles. Clemson’s Carlos Alvarez posted a 6-1, 6-3 win of his own over Sutantio at number two singles.

Boryachinskiy defeated Diaz 6-1, 6-4 at number three singles in the closest singles match of the afternoon. Kevin Galloway of the Tigers recorded a 6-2, 6-0 victory over Martin King of the Bulldogs at number four singles.

The Tigers’ Kevin Fleck knocked off the Bulldogs’ Frederic Petrilli 6-2, 6-0 at number five singles, and Clemson’s Derek DiFazio defeated The Citadel’s Tripp Larkin 6-0, 6-0 at number six singles.

Clemson is now 1-0 on the year while The Citadel falls to 0-1 this season.

Today’s match was the 47th meeting between the two schools on the tennis courts. The Tigers now lead the series 32-14-1. The series began on April 15, 1930 as the two teams played to a 3-3 tie. The Tigers have now won 19 matches in a row against the Bulldogs dating back to the 1962 season. Prior to this streak The Citadel won 10 of 15 matches from the Tigers under long-time Bulldog Head Coach Don Bunch.

The 2009 season will mark 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.

The Tigers will play at third-ranked Georgia on Tuesday, January 27, at 2:00 p.m. in Clemson’s next action. Match time is set for 2:00 p.m.

Clemson 7, The Citadel 0

Singles 1. Rok Bizjak (CU) d. Michael Kociecki (CIT) 6-1, 6-3 2. Carlos Alvarez (CU) d. Yufo Sutantio (CIT) 6-1, 6-3 3. Gera Boryachinskiy (CU) d. Alberto Diaz (CIT) 6-1, 6-4 4. Kevin Galloway (CU) d. Martin King (CIT) 6-2, 6-0 5. Kevin Fleck (CU) d. Frederic Petrilli (CIT) 6-2, 6-0 6. Derek DiFazio (CU) d. Tripp Larkin (CIT) 6-0, 6-0

Doubles 1. Gera Boryachinskiy/Rok Bizjak (CU) d. Yufo Sutatio/Alberto Diaz (CIT) 8-4 2. Wesley Moran/Carlos Alvarez (CU) d. Michael Kociecki/Martin King (CIT) 8-1 3. Ike Belk/Derek DiFazio (CU) d. Frederic Petrilli/Derek Dickey (CIT) 8-1