May 19, 2006

MOBILE, Ala. - Second-seeded Auburn University Montgomery (Ala.) topped No. 1 Azusa Pacific University (Calif.), 5-1, in the final match of the 2006 NAIA Men's Tennis National Championship.  The victory completed AUM's championship sweep as its women's team also won the national title earlier in the day at the Mobile Tennis Center.  The crown was the sixth in program history for the men's team.

AUM grabbed a 3-0 lead after the doubles round, led by Victor Sanakaipapi and Nikola Miskovic winning the #1 doubles from Patrick Kur and Art Fafkiev, 8-4.  The second doubles team of Daniel Plasa and Joel Kusnierz bested Boris Bakalov and Tom Jelsman for an 8-5 win and a 2-0 lead.  David Goodman and Cole Billings jumped to the early lead at #3 for Azusa Pacific, going up 4-0 before Anton Brykalin and Tim Mudrick battled back to take a 6-5 lead.  Exchanging the next few games, the AUM duo broke serve in the tie breaker for the 9-8 win.

Needing just two more wins to seal the victory, AUM scored a 6-2, 6-3 win at the #3 singles when Sanakaipapi defeated David Goodman.  Alex Petropoulis was the other AUM player to finish his singles match as he won 6-2, 6-1 against Fatkiev in the # 6 slot.

With the victory, Auburn Montgomery ended the season with a 24-1 record and avenged its semifinal loss to APU in last year's tournament.  Head coach Anuk Christiansz was named the NAIA Men's Tennis National Coach of the Year and Senator Daniel Plasa received the Ward-Ballinger Outstanding Player award.

Last year champion Azusa Pacific finished 26-2 on the year and took home its third runner-up finish in four years.

Championship Match

Auburn Montgomery (24-1) def. Azusa Pacific (26-2), 5-0

Singles
#1 - Daniel Plasa (AUM) vs. Boris Bakalov (APU), 7-6, 2-0
#2 - Anton Brykalin (AUM) vs. Patrick Kur (APU), 6-4, 0-1
#3 - Victor Sanakaipapi (AUM) def. David Goodman (APU), 6-2, 6-3
#4 - Joel Kusnierz (AUM) vs. Tom Jelsma (APU), 6-3, 5-2 DNF
#5 - Nikola Miskovic (AUM) vs. Cole Billings (APU), 3-6, 2-3
#6 - Alex Petropoulis (AUM) def. Art Fatkiev (APU), 6-2, 6-1

Doubles
#1 - Victor Sanakaipapi/Nikola Miskovic (AUM) def. Patrick Kur/Art Fafkeiv (APU), 8-4
#2 - Daniel Plasa/Joel Kusnierz (AUM) def. Boris Bakalov/Tom Jelsma (APU), 8-5
#3 - Anton Brykalin/Tim Mudrick (AUM) def. David Goodman/Cole Billings (APU), 9-8 (8)

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