The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB
Florida A&M
Blazer Tennis Team Splits Pair Of Matches
1/20/2013 12:00:00 AM | Men's Tennis
Jan. 19, 2013
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. ----- The UAB men's tennis team split a pair of dual matches here Saturday as the Blazers opened their 2013 schedule.
Playing twice at the Scott Speicher Tennis Center, UAB (1-1) defeated Florida A&M, 4-2, in its first match of the day before falling to No. 32-ranked and host Florida State by a 7-0 score in an afternoon dual.
The Blazers dropped the doubles point to the Rattlers but came back with wins at four singles positions. Rafael Rondino, a transfer from Auburn, Chris Helliar, Lucas Dirube and Luiz Pinto provided the victories for UAB. Dirube and Helliar also teamed up in doubles for a win at No. 2.
UAB's match with the Seminoles started a lot tighter than the final score would indicate. The Blazers won their No. 1 doubles match as David Zimmerman and Tom Puetz teamed for an 8-6 win over Dominic Cotrone and Benjamin Lock. UAB fell at No. 2 doubles and was edged at No. 3 as Pinto and Rondino fell to Andres Bucaro and Michael Rinaldi, 8-7.
In singles, Zimmerman won his opening set at the No. 1 position before losing 3-6, 6-1, 1-0 (10-8). Helliar claimed the first set at No. 3 before the Seminoles' Lock rallied for a 2-6, 7-5, 1-0 (10-8) victory. Rondino fell 7-6, 6-0 to Cotrone at the No. 2 spot with Dirube losing 6-4, 6-2 at the No. 5 position to Anderson Reed.
UAB will play its third and final match of the weekend Sunday when it goes against Florida Gulf Coast in a 10:00 a.m. CT contest.
Players Mentioned
