TAMPA -- By using a combination of solid doubles play mixed with just enough singles victories, the No. 40 University of South Florida men's tennis team edged No. 67 New Mexico State, 4-3, Thursday afternoon at the USF Varsity Tennis Courts.
USF took control of the match from the first serve on. The Bulls No. 1 duo of sophomore Lucas Jovita and junior Thomas Estrada teamed up to get USF rolling.
With the score tied at 2-2, the country's No. 27 ranked doubles team ran off six straight points against the pairing of Roman Stoisavljevic and Eduardo Salas to take the match 8-2.
Just minutes after Estrada and Jovita finished up their match, senior Mahmoud Hamed and sophomore Jamal Adderley would put the finishing touches on their match to give USF a 1-0 after the completion of doubles action.
In single action, the Bulls would push the lead to 2-0 as Kilani, the countries No. 95 ranked singles player, disposed of Gustave Diep in straight sets, 6-4, 6-3. With the win, Kilani extends his winning to seven matches and his record improves to 12-3 in dual matches.
After Hamed had his seven-match winning streak snapped in the No. 2 slot and Adderley fell in the No. 3 position, Romain Deridder would turn the tide for the Bulls. Deridder would give USF momentum with a convincing straight set win, 6-4, 6-2 over Matej Stakne giving the Bulls a 3-2 advantage.
New Mexico State would answer with a victory in the No. 6 position to knot the score at three all, but USF would not be deterred.
USF would then turn to Jovita playing in the No. 1 slot to put the match on ice. However it would not be easy for the country's No. 70 singles player.
Down 5-4 in the first set, Jovita rallied to claim the first set, 7-6. Jovita would than jump out to a 5-1 lead in the second but had to hold off a charge by Jim Brovloau, to clinch the win and the dual.
USF, now 10-5 on the season, will turn its focus to the Fighting Irish as the Bulls travel to South Bend, Ind. for a BIG EAST show down with Notre Dame on Saturday, March 28 at Noon Eastern.
USF 4, New Mexico State 3
March 26, 2009
USF Varsity Tennis Courts
Doubles
1. No. 27 Lucas Jovita/ Thomas Estrada def Roman Stoisavljevic/Eduardo Salas 8-2
2.Mahmoud Hamed/Jamal Adderley def. Jim Brouleau/Arthur Surreaux (NMSU-M- 8-4
3. Wael Kilani/ Yannick Yoshizawa def. Gustave Diep/Stefan McKinney 8-5
Finish Order:1, 2, 3
Singles
1. Lucas Jovita(USF) def. Jim Brovloau (NMSU-M) 7-6, 6-4
2. No. 95 Wael Kilani (USF) def. Gustave Diep (NMSU-M) 6-4, 6-3
3. Arthur Surreaux (NMSU-M) def. Mahmoud Hamed (USF) 6-4, 7-6
4. Roman Stoisavljevic (NMSU-M)) def. Jamal Adderley (USF) ? 7-5, 6-3
5. Romain Deridder (USF) def. Matej Stakne (NMSU-M) 6-4, 6-2
6. Stefan McKinney (NMSU-M) def. Yannick Yoshizawa (USF) 6-4, 4-6, 6-4
Finish Order: 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 1
