May 17, 2007

Results

ATHENS, Ga. - Wake Forest gave Virginia all it could handle as five singles matches went to three sets, but the fourth-seeded Cavaliers defeated the Demon Deacons, 4-1 in the round of 16 at the NCAA Championships in Athens.

"I'm so proud of our guys," head coach Jeff Zinn said. "We gave our absolute best effort on every single court and we pushed Virginia to the limit."

Virginia needed four hours and 18 minutes to seal the victory.  It was finally decided at number six singles where Virginia's Teddy Angelinos outlasted freshman Andrew Brasseaux 7-6 (11-9), 3-6, 6-1. Brasseaux struggled with cramps in both quadriceps and both calves in the third set.  He took an injury timeout trailing 0-2 and was hampered the rest of the match.

As the match was decided, the Deacons appeared to be on their way to victories on courts at number one and number four. At number one, 10th-ranked Todd Paul was primed to knock off second-ranked Somdev Devvarman. He was serving to win an epic battle, leading 7-6 (10-8), 4-6, 6-5. On court four, Mariusz Adamski was leading Marko Miklo 4-6, 6-2, 6-5. Neither Paul (0-4) nor Adamski (0-2) had ever defeated their Virginia counterparts.

The Cavaliers got on the board first by capturing the doubles point. The Deacons were not sharp early, falling behind on all three courts by a break. Virginia won at number two, but Wake Forest rallied on courts one and three. At number one, Paul and Adamski, the nation's ninth-ranked team, trailed 3-7 but came back to tie seven-all. The match was decided in a tiebreaker, one that Devvarman and Treat Huey, the second-ranked team, won 7-5, to clinch the doubles point.

In singles, the Deacons started well, winning the first sets at numbers one, two and five. At number three, Virginia's Dominic Inglot, ranked 115th, defeated Andrew Hamar, 6-3, 6-2.  It was the only match decided in straight sets.

At number two, 25th-ranked Treat Huey of Virginia rallied past 69th-ranked Cory Parr, 3-6, 6-2, 6-2. That gave the Cavaliers a commanding 3-0 lead, but there was plenty of fight left in the Deacons.

Freshman Steven Forman prevailed in three sets at number five against Houston Barrick, 6-3, 3-6, 6-3. Paul and Adamski took the lead in their matches late in the third set. Brasseaux, who dropped a heartbreaking first set tiebreaker 11-9, played exceptionally well and rallied back to win the second set before running out of steam more than three hours into the match. The loss marked the first career dual loss for Brasseaux who entered Thursday's competition with a 5-0 mark.

Wake Forest's most successful season in history ends at 23-7. The Deacons broke the school record for wins and made the Sweet 16 for the first time in program history. Virginia (29-3) moves into the quarterfinals for a third straight year and will face Southern Cal on Saturday.

The collegiate career for Hamar is over. Hamar will forever be remembered for his electric come-from-behind victory against Clemson that allowed the Deacons to reach the Sweet 16 for the first time. Wake Forest's only other senior, Todd Paul, will compete in the NCAA Singles and Doubles Tournament with Adamski beginning next Wednesday.

Hamar and Paul's legacy at Wake Forest has been secured. Together, they were a part of 67 team matches during their career, the most of any four-year period in school history.

"This year's team has laid the foundation for what we hope will become an annual trip to the Sweet 16. This is a great environment for college tennis and I believe everyone on our team will be hungry to come back next year," Zinn said. "I can't say enough about our two seniors, Todd Paul and Andrew Hamar. I'm so appreciative for everything they've done for our program. They have meant so much to Wake Forest."