April 20, 2007

NASHVILLE, Tenn. ---- The Samford men's tennis team advanced to the semi-finals of the O'Reilly Ohio Valley Conference Tennis Tournament Friday with a 4-0 win over the Murray State Racers. The Bulldogs will face Tennessee Tech Saturday in match four of the men's tournament.

The Bulldogs took the doubles point as Misner/Grant and Dushock/De Wet won matches at the No. 2 and No. 3 court. As a result, the Samford men went into singles play focused on sewing up the win.

Sam Huffman grabbed the first singles win at the No. 3 court defeating Hunter Gerlach, 6-2, 6-2. Hank Grant and Kelwin De Wet followed up with wins two and three at the four and five courts, Grant winning by a score of 6-2, 7-6, and De Wet winning with a score of 7-5, 6-0.

Because Samford had already attained the four total wins to secure the victory, all other matches were left unfinished. Renan Silveira was trailing in the No. 1 court to Fadi Zamjaoui, 3-6, 3-4. However, Stuart Misner was leading his opponent at the No.2 court, 7-6, 2-1, while Manuel Miletic led his opponent, 6-4, 5-2.

Before match play began Friday, the OVC recognized athletes who had been named to the all-conference team. Samford athletes Stuart Misner, Renan Silveira and Emily White were selected to the All-OVC first team while Hank Grant and Whitnie Warren were selected to the second team. The Samford women were also presented with the regular-season championship trophy.

Match play for the Bulldog men and Tennessee Tech men begins Saturday at 2 p.m. This match will follow the Samford women's first match of the tournament against the Skyhawks of Tennessee-Martin at 10 a.m.

Samford 4, Murray State 0

Doubles
No. 1 Fadi Zamjaoui/Dmytro Hryorash (MUR) def. Renan Silveira/Sam Huffman, 8-4
No. 2 Stuart Minser/Hank Grant (SAM) def. Jeff Lester/Yuri Pompeu (MUR), 8-2
No. 3 Brian Dushock/Kelwin De Wet (SAM) def. Chris Horton/Hunter Gerlach (MUR), 9-8 (7-2)

Singles
No. 1 Renan Silveira (SAM) vs. Fadi Zamjaoui (MUR), 3-6, 3-4, unfinished
No. 2 Stuart Misner (SAM) vs. Dymtro Hryhorash (MUR), 7-6, 2-1, unfinished
No. 3 Sam Huffman (SAM) def. Hunter Gerlach (MUR), 6-2, 6-2
No. 4 Hank Grant (SAM) def. Jeff Lester (MUR), 6-2, 7-6
No. 5 Kelwin De Wet (SAM) def. Yuri Pompeu (MUR), 7-5, 6-0
No. 6 Manuel Miletic (SAM) vs. Chris Horton (MUR), 6-4, 5-2, unfinished