Anderson Edges Wingate To Capture 2011 Food Lion SAC Men’s Tennis Championship
ROCK HILL, S.C. - Deni Mehagic defeated Andrew Owen on court No. 2 in a third set tiebreaker to propel second-seeded Anderson to the 2011 Food Lion South Atlantic Conference Men's Tennis tournament, capping off a wild weekend at the Rock Hill Tennis Center.
For his play in the Championship match, Mehagic was named the 2011 Food Lion SAC tournament Most Valuable Player.
With the win, Anderson accepts the South Atlantic Conference automatic bid to the 2011 NCAA Regional tournament.
Anderson opened the match winning all three doubles matches to go up 3-0 heading into singles. Stan Atema and Daniel Gonzalez topped Owen and Flavio Rathsam on court No. 1, 8-4, for the first Trojans point, while Mehagic and Ilya Zakharov topped Matthew Lichtenstein and Braeden Patchell shortly after on court No. 2, 8-5.
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Anderson University's Deni Mehagic celebrates after scoring the match-clinching point in Saturday's championship. Photo by Tim Hartis. |
Fernando Montemurro and Greg Machado took Jerome Branker and Trey Halbauer to the limit on court No. 3, sending the set into the tiebreaker, but the Anderson duo completed the Trojans sweep with their 9-8 (8-6) victory.
The Bulldogs were not done though, battling back in singles play as Patchell defeated Gonzalez on court No. 4 to put Wingate on the board, winning in straight sets 6-1, 6-2. Ryan Forbes cut into the lead as well, topping Loic Ambrose on court No. 6, 6-4, 7-6 (8-6).
Rathsam tied the match up at three apiece, defeating Zakharov on court No. 3, 5-7, 6-0, 6-1, evening the score with three matches to play.
Montemurro gave the Bulldogs their first lead of the contest, winning a tight contest over Halbauer on court No. 5, 7-6 (7-2), 7-5, giving Wingate a chance to clinch the match with two courts still playing.
However, Atema rallied after dropping the second set on court No. 1 to take the third set and match over Lichtenstein, 4-6, 6-4, 6-2 to even the score, leaving all spectators watching the back and forth play on court No. 2 between Mehagic and Owen.
The duo were evenly matched as they swapped the first two sets with identical scores of 7-5. Heading into the third set with all play around them stopped, the duo were cheered on by their respective fans and teammates as they headed into the tiebreaker. Mehagic was able to overcome Owen in the tiebreaker to take the third set, 7-6 (7-4).
"I'm pround of the guys for showing up and playing doubles the way they were supposed to play all season," said Anderson head coach Joey Eskridge. "We usually have been losing two out of three doubles, and then having to win four or five matches in singles. I'm proud of these guys. It was a great tournament."
Singles competition
1. Stan Atema (AUM) def. Matthew Lichtenstein (WIN) 4-6, 6-4,
6-2
2. Deni Mehagic (AUM) def. Andrew Owen (WIN) 5-7, 7-5, 7-6
(7-4)
3. Flavio Rathsam (WIN) def. Ilya Zakharov (AUM) 5-7, 6-0, 6-1
4. Braeden Patchell (WIN) def. Daniel Gonzalez (AUM) 6-1, 6-2
5. Fernando Montemurro (WIN) def. Trey Halbauer (AUM) 7-6 (7-2),
7-5
6. Ryan Forbes (WIN) def. Loic Ambrose (AUM) 6-4, 7-6 (8-6)
Doubles competition
1. Stan Atema/Daniel Gonzalez (AUM) def. Andrew Owen/Flavio Rathsam
(WIN) 8-4
2. Deni Mehagic/Ilya Zakharov (AUM) def. Matthew
Lichtenstein/Braeden Patchell (WIN) 8-5
3. Jerome Branker/Trey Halbauer (AUM) def.. Fernando
Montemurro/Greg Machado (WIN) 9-8 (8-6)
Match Notes
#2 Anderson 13-8
#1 Wingate 17-4
Order of finish: Doubles (1,2,3); Singles (4,6,3,5,1,2)