April 11, 2008

VALDOSTA, Ga. The third ranked West Florida Men's Tennis Team (19-3, 6-0 GSC) earned another victory over a GSC opponent this season by defeating second ranked Valdosta State (10-4, 2-1 GSC). The Argonauts came to the match after three consecutive wins, including two wins over GSC opponents. The Argonauts defeated GSC rival the Blazers 5-4 this Friday, April 11th at Valdosta, Ga.

The Argonauts took the advantage already in the doubles play. In the first doubles position, 13th ranked team formed by Argonauts Eduardo Cavasotti (senior/Florianopolis, Brazil) and Luis Arboleda (junior/Medellin, Colombia) fell 8-3 to the nationally first ranked duo from Valdosta State. However, the Argonauts tied the match at 1-1 when the third duo formed by Argonauts Luiz Bernardi (senior/Campinas, Brazil) and Jose Ycaza (junior/Guayaquil, Ecuador) defeated 8-4 Blazers Michael Kuech and Otto Lenhart. The Argonauts earned the lead for the first time in the match when the 18th ranked duo formed by Argonauts Nicolas Barrientos (senior/Cali, Colombia) and Patrick Bateman (sophomore/Apopka, Fla.) defeated 8-6 Blazers Florian Halb and Richard Malobicky in the second doubles position, giving the 2-1 lead to the Argos.

In the singles action, both teams split three wins each. In the second singles position, 27th ranked Argonaut Barrientos fell with a 6-2, 6-0 score to 10th ranked Joerg Ekkenga. In the third singles position, Arboleda also feel to the Blazers. Unranked Arboleda fell 6-4, 6-4 to 14th ranked Leos Jelinek, giving the 3-2 lead to the Blazers. The Argonauts bounced back to earn a 4-3 lead by winning two more matches. Bernardi defeated Richard Malobicky with a 6-4, 6-4 score in the fourth position. In the fifth spot, Bateman dropped only two games to defeat Otto Lenhart with a 6-0, 6-2 score. The Blazers once again tied the match, this time at 4-4 when Argonaut Ycaza fell 6-4, 7-5 in the sixth singles spot. The match was clinched when 17th Argonaut defeated nationally fourth ranked Florian Halb from Valdosta State. Cavasotti rallied from a set down to defeat the top Blazer player, giving the final score of 5-4 to the Argonauts.

With the win over the Blazers, the Argonauts earned its nineteenth win of the season to finish the regular season with a 19-3 overall record and a 6-0 GSC record. The Argonauts have won nine out of the last ten matches played, including three victories over a GSC opponent. The Argos will return to action for the post season on Saturday, April 19, 2008, at the Gulf South Conference Championship to be played in Montgomery, Ala. The time and the opponent to be played has not been announced yet.

Singles
#1 Eduardo Cavasotti (UWF) def. Florian Halb (VSU) 3-6, 7-5, 6-4
#2 Joerg Ekkenga (VSU) def, Nicolas Barrientos (UWF) 6-2,6-0
#3 Leos Jelinek (VSU) def. Luis Arboleda (UWF) 6-4,6-4
#4 Luiz Bernardi (UWF) def. Richard Malobicky (VSU) 6-4,6-4
#5 Patrick Batman (UWF) def. Otto Lenhart (VSU) 6-0, 6-2
#6 Michael Kuech (VSU) def. Jose Ycaza (UWF) 6-4,7-5

Doubles
#1 Jelinek/Ekkenga (VSU) def. Cavasotti/Arboleda (UWF) 8-3
#2 Barrientos/Batman (UWF) def. Halb/Malobicky (VSU) 8-6
#3 Ycaza/Bernardi (UWF) def. Kuech/Lenhart (VSU) 8-4