Strode Notches 25th Season Win Hog Tennis Falls to No. 12 Alabama 6-1
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark – Arkansas tennis lost its final home match of the 2007 season with a 6-1 decision to No. 12 Alabama, Sun. April 8 at the Dills Indoor Tennis Center.
Despite losing the doubles point, Arkansas found a huge win at No. 1 with #49 Colin Mascall and Blake Strode. The duo topped #26 Dan Buikema and Mathieu Thibaudeau (Alabama), 8-2. Strode and Mascall advance to 19-7 on the season, 15-6 in dual matches and 6-4 in the SEC.
Strode also found a win playing No. 1 singles. He topped #82 Joseph Jung, 7-6, 6-2, for the 52nd victory of his career. Strode now moves to 25-10 on the season, 16-7 in singles and 6-4 in SEC play.
Mascall also took a tough loss at No. 2, playing to three sets. He was eventually edged 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 by #86 Billy Mertz.
Andrei Nicoara, 2007’s lone Razorback senior was honored in a ceremony in between doubles and singles play. Playing at No. 4, Nicoara lost a close match to Mathieu Thibaudeau, 7-6 (8-7), 6-4, concluding his Razorback career.
Dmitry Lebedev at No. 3, Bradwin Williams at No. 5 and Gabriel Mattos at No. 6 also dropped singles matches.
Wrapping up the regular season for Arkansas will be a trip to Baton Rouge, La. to tangle with the Tigers of LSU, Sat., April 14, at 1 p.m.
No. 12 Alabama 6, Arkansas 1
Dills Indoor Tennis Center
Fayetteville, Ark. – April 8, 2007
Doubles
Order of Finish: 3, 2*, 1
No. 1 #49 Colin Mascall/Blake Strode (Arkansas) def. #26 Dan Buikema/Mathieu Thibaudeau (Alabama), 8-2
No. 2 Joseph Jung/Syketh Myneni (Alabama) def. Gabriel Mattos/Bradwin Williams (Arkansas), 8-5
No. 3 Javier Bes/Billy Mertz (Alabama) def. Branden Joost/Jorge Villanueva (Arkansas), 8-4
Singles
Order of Finish: 5, 6, 4*, 3, 1, 2
No. 1 # 77 Blake Strode (Arkansas) def. #82 Joseph Jung (Alabama), 7-6, 6-2
No. 2 #86 Billy Mertz (Alabama) def. Colin Mascall (Arkansas), 6-4, 4-6, 6-3
No. 3 Sammy Struyf (Alabama) def. Dmitry Lebedev (Arkansas), 4-6, 6-4, 6-3
No. 4 Mathieu Thibaudeau (Alabama) def. Andrei Nicoara (Arkansas), 7-6, 6-4
No. 5 Javier Bes (Alabama) def. Bradwin Williams (Arkansas), 6-1, 6-4
No. 6 Houssam Yassine (Alabama) def. Gabriel Mattos (Arkansas), 7-5, 6-3
