Rebel Netters Clinch Sixth Straight SEC West Title Sunday

ATHENS, Ga. The Ole Miss men’s tennis team clinched its sixth consecutive SEC Western Division Championship Sunday, despite losing a hard-fought match to No. 1 Georgia at the Dan Magill Tennis Complex.

After winning a thrilling 4-3 match at Tennessee on Friday, the Rebels came into Sunday’s match with a chance to win the overall championship.  Ole Miss gave the Bulldogs all they wanted, but Georgia prevailed 5-2 to clinch their second straight SEC Championship.  With Auburn’s 4-3 win over LSU on Sunday, the Rebels at 19-3 overall and 8-2 in the SEC, clinched the division title.

“To win the West six straight years in this league is quite an accomplishment,” head coach Billy Chadwick said.   “We are also excited to finish among the top third in the SEC for the 14^th year in a row.   To do that in this league is phenomenal.   The guys have worked hard all year to get to this point, and certainly we are looking forward to wrapping up the regular season next weekend with a win against Mississippi State.  We want to encourage everyone to come down to Starkville and help us try to beat them for the 19^th time in a row.”

The Rebels knew the doubles would be tough, as Georgia had not lost a point all season.  They boast the U.S. Open Junior Champions at No.3 doubles, the No. 1 team in the nation at the top spot and the No. 13 ranked team at No. 2.  Georgia won on court three 8-3, but just one break was the difference at the top two spots as the Bulldogs claimed both 8-5.

Georgia’s John Isner is ranked No.1 in singles as well as doubles, and he displayed it Sunday, taking out Ole Miss’ Erling Tveit, 6-1, 6-4 to give the Bulldogs a 2-0 lead.  Matthias Wellermann fell to Bulldog Luis Flores, 6-4, 6-1 on court three as Georgia increased its lead to 3-0.

But the Rebels were not done.  Robbye Poole and Jonas Berg posted wins on courts four and six respectively, to keep the Rebels alive, as Claesson split sets on court two, and Kalle Norberg was still battling on court five.

Poole, ranked No. 40, beat 43^rd-ranked Matic Omerzel, 6-3, 6-4 on court four and then Berg defeated 78^th-ranked Jamie Hunt, 6-2, 6-4 on court six.  With his win, he remains undefeated on the season.

Georgia clinched the win, when No. 11 ranked Travis Helgeson finished off senior Eric Claesson in the third set at No. 2.  Claesson came back after losing the first set 6-0, to win the second 6-3.  Helgeson played a great third set to win 6-1 and clinch the victory. 

“We played well,” Chadwick said.   “We fought hard in doubles even though we lost.  We got down 3-0, but we continued to battle until the end.  Matthias had several chances to win the first set and if he gets that, then maybe it’s a different match, because we were playing very well at the bottom three courts.  We are proud of the guys for a great effort against a very good team.”

Once the match was over, Norberg lost a third-set supertiebreaker to Georgia’s Nate Schnugg, for his first dual match loss this season.  Despite Sundays’ loss, Norberg clinched the team’s win against Tennessee, rallying from a set down against a senior.

Saturday’s match against State will begin at 1 p.m. at the A.J. Pitts Tennis Centre.

DOUBLES
#1 Flores/Isner (UGA) def. Claesson/Tveit (OM) 8-5
#2 Helgeson/Omerzel (UGA) def. Berg/Wellermann (OM) 8-5
#3 Hunt/Schnugg (UGA) def. Klaeson/Poole (OM) 8-3
SINGLES
#1 John Isner (UGA) def. Erling Tveit (OM) 6-1, 6-4
#2Travis Helgeson (UGA) def. Eric Claesson (OM) 6-0, 3-6, 6-1
#3 Luis Flores (UGA) def. Matthias Wellermann (OM) 6-4, 6-1
#4 Robbye Poole (OM) def. Matic Omerzel (UGA) 6-3, 6-4
#5 Nate Schnugg (UGA) def. Kalle Norberg (OM) 3-6, 6-4, 1-0 (10-7)
#6 Jonas Berg (OM) def. Jamie Hunt (UGA) 6-2, 6-4

The University of Mississippi Athletics

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