May 16, 2008

CHAMPIONSHIP RESULTS

MOBILE, Ala--The Auburn-Montgomery (Ala.) Senators claimed the 2008 NAIA Men's Tennis National Championship by hanging on to defeat Fresno Pacific (Calif.) Friday evening (May 16).

The win gives the AUM its third straight championship and fifth in the last seven years.

Auburn-Montgomery jumped out to a 4-1 lead and looked like they would run away with the crown, but the Sunbirds of Fresno Pacific kept clawing away and made a match of it. The Senators took No. 1 and No. 2 doubles by scores of 8-6 and 8-5, respectively and that set the stage for a crucial doubles match for the Sunbirds.

AUM's No. 3 doubles tandem of Tim Mudrick and Daniel Plasa had the Fresno Pacific pairing of Fabio Silva and Mazime Adam on the ropes, but the Sunbirds made an impressive rally. The Senators led 7-4 and at 7-5 were ahead 40-0, one point away from a clean sweep of doubles, but the Sunbirds pair rallied to salvage a point and send the match into singles play 2-1 in favor of the Senators.

Plasa and Alberto Romea picked up early wins in No. 1 and No. 2 singles for the Senators to set up the seemingly insurmountable 4-1 lead.

From there, the Sunbirds went to work trying to end the Senators' domination. Fresno Pacific's Fabio Silva faced Auburn-Montgomery's Victor Sanaki Papi at No. 3 singles in the best match of the evening. The two went to tie breaker in both sets and Silva was able to pull out the 7-6(5), 7-6(5) victory over the 2007 Player of the Year. Fresno's Mazime Adam made quick work of Tim Mudrick at No. 5 singles to cut the deficit to 4-3 and leave it up to No. 4 and No. 6 singles play to decide the match.

Victor Medina claimed the opening set in the No. 6 singles match for the Sunbirds to put some heat on the Senators, and AUM's Javier Redondo responded, picking up a 6-4, 6-3 victory over Marco Foelz to clinch the title for the team from Montgomery, AL.