Clemson Downs Ball State in NCAA Men’s Tennis Tournament

May 10, 2003

Champaign, IL – Jarmaine Jenkins and Damilsa Robinson both won straight set singles matches to lead Clemson to a 4-0 victory over Ball State in the first round of the NCAA Men’s Tennis Tournament at the Atkins Tennis Center at the University of Illinois in Champaign. Chuck Kriese’s team now advances to the second round to take on a 27-0 Illinois team in the second round. The Illini are ranked number-one in the nation and the Tigers will have to face them on their home court on Sunday. Illinois defeated Butler 4-0 on Saturday.

The victory by the men came a few hours after the Lady Tigers defeated Baylor at the NCAA Women’s Tournament in Chapel Hill. It marked the first time since 1983 and just the second time in school history that the Clemson men and women tennis teams both won an NCAA Tournament match in the same year. The only other occasion also took place on the same day. On May 14, 1983 the Lady Tigers beat Oklahoma State in Albuquerque, while the men defeated Cal-Irvine in Athens, GA.

The men improved to 25-10 for the season. It is the first time since the 1989 season that Clemson has reached 25 wins in one season. The Tigers take on #1 ranked Illinois on Sunday. Clemson and head coach Chuck Kriese’s have beaten the number-one team twice in history. Clemson defeated a #1 ranked UCLA team in 1982 and a #1 ranked Pepperdine team in 1986. Both wins were on the road.

Clemson started Saturday’s match with a victory in the doubles point by winning two of the three matches. Damilsa Robinson and John Boetsch of Clemson defeated Chris Varga and Patrick Thompson 8-4 at the number-two doubles to clinch the point for Clemson.

Jenkins won at number-three singles over Matt Baccarani of Ball State 6-1, 6-4 to get the Tigers off to a good start in singles play. It was his 24th dual match singles victory of the season against just seven losses. Robinson followed with a 6-1, 7-5 win over Patrick Thompson at number-five singles. It was also his 24th dual match win of the season against just eight losses.

Boetsch clinched the overall team match for Clemson with a 3-6, 6-4, 6-1 win over Matt Laramore at number-four singles. He improved to 19-11 overall with the victory. The other three matches on the court were abandoned (in accordance with the NCAA Tournament rules) when Clemson gained the necessary four points to clinch the match. Clemson was ahead in two of the other three matches on the court when the Tigers were declared the victors.

“This was a very good win for us today,” said Head Coach Chuck Kriese’s. “Ball State was tough, they were the champions of the MAC this year and they played like champions all day. We won the doubles point and it was hard fought. Robinson and Boetsch were down a break at 4-3, but came back to win the last five points and give us the doubles point.

“In the singles play, Jarmaine Jenkins got us off to a great start with a straight set victory. But, the other singles matches were very hard fought. John Boetsch clinched the match. He came back from losing the first set. He really competed. “We didn’t play perfect, but we were tough. We were able to give more body punches. “We play the number-one ranked team in the nation on Sunday in Illinois. Everyone will look at us as the underdog, but we won’t look at it that way. We will give it everything we have on Sunday.”

Clemson 4, Ball State 0 May 10, 2003 at Atkins Tennis Center, Champaign, IL

Singles #1 Nathan Thompson (CU) vs. Chris Varga (BS) 6-7, 6-2, 0-0 (Abandoned) #2 Sander Koning (CU) vs. Matt Baccarani (BS) 6-7,6-2, 2-1 (Abandoned) #3 Jarmaine Jenkins (CU) d.Kevin Burnett (BS), 6-1, 6-4 #4 John Boetsch (CU) d. Matt Laramore (BS) 3-6, 6-4, 6-1 #5 Damilsa Robinson (CU) d. Patrick Thompson (BS) 6-1, 7-5 #6 Ash Misquith (CU) vs. Brad Rhodes (BS) 6-4, 3-6, 4-3 (Abandoned)

Doubles #1 Nathan Thompson/Jarmaine Jenkins (CU) d. Kevin Burnett-Matt Baccarani (BS) 8-2 #2 Damilsa Robinson-John Boetsch (CU) d. Chris Varga-Patrick Thompson (BS) 8-4 #3 Matt Laramore/Brad Rhodes (BS) d. Sander Koning-Brett Twente (CU) 8-5