May 8, 2009

Fifth-Ranked Pacers Advance to Region Final

SAVANNAH, Ga. – Ranked a program-best fifth, USC Aiken defeated No. 25 Francis Marion, 5-1, on Friday afternoon to advance to the NCAA Division II Men’s Tennis Southeast Region Final.

USC Aiken with the win improves to 19-4 on the year. The Pacers now move on to face off against the winner of the Armstrong Atlantic State-Lander contest in the region final at 2 p.m. on Saturday, May 9.

USC Aiken will be trying to advance to its first ever Round of 16.

The Pacers took a 2-1 lead after doubles as the No. 22-ranked duo of Filipe Garcia (Valinhos, Brazil) and Bruno Seves (Araraquara, Brazil) notched an 8-4 win over Jack Bishop and Matthew Keth at No. 2 doubles, while Gregory Andrade (Sao Paulo, Brazil) and Chris Kaetz (Bonn, Germany) defeated Dirk Bair and Karl Rogers, 8-6, at No. 3 doubles.

Francis Marion's doubles point came at No. 1 doubles in a duel of top 10-ranked teams with FMU’s No. 6 tandem of Dilshod Sharifi and Oshada Wijemanne picking up an 8-3 win over No. 9-ranked Dagoberto Darezzo (San Carlos, Brazil) and Edward Horne (Kent, England).

Kaetz gave USC Aiken its first singles point with a 6-2, 6-1 win over Bastian Czwalinna at No. 4 singles. Andrade then defeated Bair, 6-3, 6-2, at No. 6 singles.

Horne came up with the clinching point, winning the final three games of the third set to outlast Rogers, 2-6, 6-4, 6-4, and send the Pacers into Saturday's final.

USC Aiken defeated Francis Marion three times in 2009; first downing the Patriots, 7-2, during the regular season on Tuesday, Feb. 24. They then picked up a 5-2 win over Francis Marion in the quarterfinals of the PBC Tournament before taking the 5-1 victory on Friday afternoon.

The Pacers have now claimed a team victory in 13 of their last 14 matches.

Francis Marion University vs USC Aiken (May 08, 2009)
#5 USC Aiken 5, #25 Francis Marion University 1
May 08, 2009 at Savannah, Ga. (AASU Tennis Complex)

Singles competition
1. #6 Bruno Seves (USCAM) vs. #10 Oshada Wijemanne (FMU) 5-7, 2-5, unfinished
2. #21 Dagoberto Darezzo (USCAM) vs. #22 Dilshod Sharifi (FMU) 6-3, 2-6, 1-0, unfinished
3. Edward Horne (USCAM) def. Karl Rogers (FMU) 2-6, 6-4, 6-4
4. Chris Kaetz (USCAM) def. Bastian Czwalinna (FMU) 6-2, 6-1
5. Filipe Garcia (USCAM) vs. Jack Bishop (FMU) 6-4, 4-3, unfinished
6. Gregory Andrade (USCAM) def. Dirk Bair (FMU) 6-3, 6-2

Doubles competition
1. #6 Dilshod Sharifi/Oshada Wijemanne (FMU) def. #9 Dagoberto Darezzo/Edward Horne (USCAM) 8-3
2. #22 Filipe Garcia/Bruno Seves (USCAM) def. Jack Bishop/Matthew Keth (FMU) 8-4
3. Gregory Andrade/Chris Kaetz (USCAM) def. Dirk Bair/Karl Rogers (FMU) 8-6

Match Notes
Francis Marion University 16-6; National ranking #25
USC Aiken 19-4; National ranking #5
Order of finish: Doubles (1,2,3); Singles (4,6,3)
2009 NCAA Division II Men's Tennis Southeast Regional - Second Round
USC Aiken advances to Region final at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday

** Armstrong Atlantic State Sports Information contributed to this report**