The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB Tennis Team Downs Charlotte, 4-3
2/28/2003 12:00:00 AM | Men's Tennis
Feb. 28, 2003
TAMPA, Fla. ---- The UAB men's tennis team swept through doubles play and then posted three singles victories en route to a 4-1 win over Charlotte here Friday in the first round of Conference USA Intraconference play.
The No. 4-seeded Blazers (6-4) now advance to Saturday's semifinal round where they will face second-seeded Tulane, the nation's No. 29-ranked team, at 1:30 p.m. In the other opening round match Friday, No. 3 seed Memphis defeated No. 6 Marquette, 5-0. The Tigers meet host and top-seeded South Florida (ranked No. 21 nationally) in the other semifinal Saturday.
"Overall, I thought this was a pretty good effort," said UAB head coach Derek Tarr. "We got off to a good start by winning all three doubles. I think our depth was also a factor, winning at 3, 4 and 6 singles."
In downing Charlotte Friday, UAB won the doubles point by winning at all three positions. Freshmen Bastian Grundler and Kristijan Mitrovski beat the 49ers' David Bolin and Marlo Santoso, 8-6 at the No. 1 position. Andre Maier and Dino Mancarella were winners at No. 2 for UAB with an 8-6 win over Christofer Boman and Jonathan Clark while UAB's Patrick Suhrbier and Sanzaruz Zaman teamed at No. 3 to defeat the Charlotte duo of Stuart Lynas and Jonathan Vencatachellum, 8-4.
UAB was able to put the match away with decisive, straight-set victories at the No. 3, 4 and 6 singles positions. Mitrovski eased past Clark in 6-1, 6-1 fashion at No. 3 with teammate Ruben Zrihen taking a 6-2, 6-1 victory at No. 4 over Bolin. At No. 6 singles, Mancarella disposed of Charlotte's Zvi Lantseberg by a 6-2, 6-1 score.
The 49ers' only victory came at No. 1 singles as Arturo Aguirre defeated the Blazers' Grundler, 6-4, 6-1. Play was halted at No. 2 and 5 singles after UAB had clinched the match.
