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4/8/2009 - MEN'S TENNIS
ETSU Claims Fourth Straight Men's Tennis Crown
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SPARTANBURG, S.C. - Ever since joining the Atlantic Sun Conference four seasons ago the ETSU men's tennis team has done one thing well, win championships. Just like it has each of the past three years the No. 63-ranked Bucs closed out the regular season by earning its fourth consecutive A-Sun crown dropping league rival No. 65-ranked USC Upstate 4-3, Wednesday at the USC Upstate Tennis Complex in Spartanburg, S.C.
Overall, in the A-Sun ETSU (11-7, 9-0 A-Sun) has dominated league play posting an incredible 31-0 record in the past four seasons, while individually senior Enrique Olivares (Puerto Ordaz, Venezuela), now sits as the winningest singles player in league history with a remarkable career conference mark of 30-1.
Battling both the pressure of a championship and a tough Upstate home crowd, ETSU opened play taking two out of the three doubles matches. The Buccaneer team of sophomores Charles Bottoni (Bois Guillame, France) and Grega Teraz (Mojstrana, Slovenia) rolled past Jack Roux and Leandro Osorio 8-4, while after Upstate took the second contest in No. 3 play, Enrique Olivares and Alex Ahlgren (Tyerso, Sweden), showed their leadership clinching the early 1-0 lead with an 8-6 win over Renzo Airald and Javier Tori.
As singles played opened No. 12-ranked Olivares continued to dominate this spring picking up his 11 straight win dropping Airald in straight sets, 6-0, 6-3, while teammate Grega Teraz quickly gave the Bucs a 3-0 advantage making quick work of Javier Tori, 6-0, 6-1.
Just when it looked like ETSU would cruise to an easy victory the tough-minded Spartans rallied winning the next three straight singles contest tying the match at 3-3. With the contest and title on the line ETSU’s hopes came down to Alex Ahlgren and his No. 6 singles contest. After dropping the first set to Leandro Osorio 3-6, the ETSU captain showed what leadership is all about defeating the Upstate senior in the final two frames, 6-1, 6-1 for the one point win.
With the win the nationally ranked Bucs earned the top-seed in the upcoming A-Sun tournament, which will be held at the Buddy Hartsell Tennis Center on the ETSU campus April 16-18.
