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The University of Mississippi Athletics
Ole Miss
Georgia
Georgia Outlasts Ole Miss 4-3 In Exciting Match
4/9/2006 | Men's Tennis
April 9, 2006
OXFORD, Miss. - In a battle of two top 10 teams, the No. 1-ranked Georgia Bulldogs outlasted the No. 10 Ole Miss men's tennis team in a thrilling 4-3 match in front of a packed house at the Palmer/Salloum Tennis Center Sunday afternoon.
With the loss, the Rebels fall to 17-3 overall and 7-3 in the SEC, while Georgia clinched the outright SEC Championship and remained unbeaten at 21-0 at 10-0 in the SEC. Georgia also snapped Ole Miss' 31-match home regular season win streak.
The match was all even at 3-3 with Ole Miss' Eric Claesson, ranked No. 27, battling Georgia's John Isner, ranked No. 2, at No. 1 singles. Isner, who stands 6-9, came into the match undefeated, but Claesson gave him all he wanted. Isner gained the only break in the first set and held to win the set 6-4. Claesson won a second-set tiebreaker to force a third set. The third set began with Isner breaking Claesson's serve. Claesson would break back for 1-2, and had chances to even it at 2-2, before Isner gained his second break and held to go up 4-1. He served it out at 5-2 to clinch the victory.
"This was two very good teams battling it out, and Georgia showed why they are ranked No. 1," head coach Billy Chadwick said. "The big guy (Isner) had to serve it out, and he did it. I am proud of Eric for a valiant effort, and hats off to Jakob, Bram and Pablo for giving us three points in singles.
"The crowd was unbelievable, and we want to thank them for coming out and supporting us. It makes us feel good to know that they are really starting to get involved and really love the program."
Georgia got on the board first by taking the doubles point, as 2005 NCAA doubles champions John Isner and Antonio Ruiz defeated eighth-ranked Erling Tveit and Eric Claesson, 8-4 at No.1 doubles to clinch the point.
The Bulldogs grabbed a 2-0 lead as Luis Flores, ranked No. 23 in the nation, handed 17th-ranked Erling Tveit a 6-1, 6-2 loss at No. 2 singles. Georgia's Colin Purcell increased the lead to 3-0 with his 6-3, 6-2 win over Robbye Poole at No. 5 singles.
But, the Rebels, as another SEC coach said earlier in the year, fight hard at every position and never give up. They did just that on Sunday, with Jakob Klaeson defeating UGA's Strahinja Bobusic 6-3, 7-6 on court six to get the Rebels on the board.
Moments later, Bram ten Berge pulled the Rebels to within 3-2, winning a decisive third set against Matic Omerzel at the No. 4 spot. After ten Berge won the first set 6-2, the two battled back and forth in the second with Omerzel taking it in a tiebreaker. ten Berge didn't flinch, dominating the third set 6-0 to pump up the crowd.
The Rebs lone senior, Juan Pablo Di Cesare, came up big in the match, rallying to win a second-set tiebreaker after dropping the first set 6-3. He got a break in the third set and held for 6-3 to even the match as the crowd erupted and turned its attention to court one.
The Rebels still have a lot to play for as LSU lost to Auburn 4-3. The two teams are tied for second overall in the SEC standings and first in the SEC West. The Rebels will host Mississippi State next Saturday at Noon. They can clinch at least a share of the SEC Western Division with a win. A win, coupled with an LSU loss to Arkansas, and the Rebels can claim the title outright.
DOUBLES
#1 Isner/Ruiz (UGA) def. Tveit/Claesson (OM) 8-4
#2 Flores/Omerzel (UGA) def. ten Berge/Di Cesare (OM) 8-5
#3 Poole/Klaeson (OM) vs. Bobusic/Purcell (UGA) 6-7, SUS.
SINGLES
#1 John Isner (UGA) def. Eric Claesson (OM) 6-4, 6-7, 6-3
#2 Luis Flores (UGA) def. Erling Tveit (OM) 6-1, 6-2
#3 Juan Pablo Di Cesare (OM) def. Antonio Ruiz (UGA) 3-6, 7-6, 6-3
#4 Bram ten Berge (OM) def. Matic Omerzel (UGA) 6-2, 6-7, 6-0
#5 Colin Purcell (UGA) def. Robbye Poole (OM) 6-3, 6-2
#6 Jakob Klaeson (OM) def. Strahinja Bobusic (UGA) 6-3, 7-6
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