Duke Falls to Alabama, 4-3, In NCAA Championship Second Round

Saturday, May 12

Durham, N.C.

11 a.m.

Duke University

Alabama (Second Round)

Duke Closes Out Regular Season At No. 2 Virginia and Virginia Tech

Duke Falls to Alabama, 4-3, In NCAA Championship Second Round

5/12/2007 12:00:00 AM | Men's Tennis

By: Duke Sports Information

DURHAM, N.C. - The 14th-ranked Duke men's tennis team fell to 17th-ranked Alabama by way of a tight 4-3 decision on Saturday at the Ambler Tennis Stadium in an NCAA Championship Second Round match. With the win, Alabama advances to the round of 16 in Athens, Ga.

Duke once again came out strong in doubles play, taking matches at the No. 2 and 3 positions to head into singles competition, 1-0, as the Blue Devil duo of junior Ned Samuelson and freshman Dylan Arnould defeated Joseph Jung and Saketh Myneni, 8-4, at No. 2, before senior Peter Rodrigues and sophomore Kiril Dimitrov combined for an 8-5 victory at the No. 3 spot to clinch the point for Duke.

Singles action saw the Crimson Tide take five of six first sets, as senior, 105th-ranked Joey Atas, posted Duke's lone first-set win (6-4) at the No. 2 spot. With all second sets underway, the match was then suspended due to inclement weather.

Play resumed at the Sheffield Indoor Tennis Center three and a half hours later, as Alabama tied the score at one all on the strength of Mathieu Thibaudeau's 6-3, 6-4 win over Arnould at flight No. 4.

The Tide then took a 2-1 lead, as Goulet was forced to forfeit his match at No. 5 due to injury.

No. 71 Billy Mertz defeated No. 80 Dimitrov at the top singles spot, 6-3, 7-5, to increase Alabama's advantage to 3-1, but the Blue Devils bounced back with two victories to tie the score at three apiece, as No. 79 Rodrigues defeated Sammy Struyf, 6-7, 6-1, 6-3, at No. 3, and junior Alex Stone defeated Myneni, 4-6, 6-4, 7-6, at No. 6.

Rodrigues ends his career with 103 singles victories, a mark that ranks tied for eighth at Duke all-time.

The match came down to the No. 2 contest, as No. 88 Joseph Jung defeated Atas, 6-4, 7-6, 7-5, in a hard-fought match at the top singles spot to give Alabama the 4-3 win.

The Tide improves to 22-7, while the Blue Devils end their season with an overall record of 16-10.

Complete Results: #17 Alabama 4, #14 Duke 3
2007 NCAA Championships - Second Round
Ambler Tennis Stadium, Durham, N.C.

Doubles
1. #10 D. Goulet/J. Atas (DUKE) led #23 Dan Buikema/M. Thibaudeau (ALA) 8-7
2. D. Arnould/Ned Samuelson (DUKE) def. J. Jung/S. Myneni (ALA) 8-4
3. P. Rodrigues/K. Dimitrov (DUKE) def. B. Mertz/J. Bes (ALA) 8-5
Order of finish: 2,3*

Singles
1. #71 Billy Mertz (ALA) def. #80 Kiril Dimitrov (DUKE) 6-3, 7-5
2. #88 Joseph Jung (ALA) def. #105 Joey Atas (DUKE) 6-4, 7-6, 7-5
3. #79 Peter Rodrigues (DUKE) def. Sammy Struyf (ALA) 6-7, 6-1, 6-3
4. Mathieu Thibaudeau (ALA) def. Dylan Arnould (DUKE) 6-3, 6-4
5. Javier Bes (ALA) def. David Goulet (DUKE) 1-6, 6-4, 1-1 inj.
6. Alex Stone (DUKE) def. Saketh Myneni (ALA) 4-6, 6-4, 7-6
Order of finish: 4,5,1,3,6,2*