Troy University Athletics
Trojans Climb Rankings, Win Again
3/23/2010 10:00:00 PM | Tennis
TROY, Ala. - Moments after finding out they moved up six spots in the national rankings, the 68th-ranked Troy University men's tennis team ran away from Jacksonville State University 6-1 on Tuesday afternoon.
Just 60 minutes after the match started, the Troy University men and women are looking to extend their winning streaks as each have captured the doubles point against Jacksonville State at the Lunsford Tennis Complex on a bright Tuesday afternoon.
Troy (13-3) extended their winning streak to eight consecutive matches before playing possibly their biggest match of the season at South Alabama Thursday afternoon.
"We are playing well at this point," Troy head coach Eric Hayes said. "But we have to play our biggest match of the season against South Alabama, and we have not beaten them since I have been here. We just have to keep our composure when we are up, we didn't do that today in some of the singles matches."
The Trojans got off to a quick start as the number two doubles team of Branko Weber and Xavier Masson made quick work of their opponents from Jacksonville State - Gustavo Holz and Nenad Marcec.
After dropping a point on serve that brought that match within 3-1 in the the early stages, the big hitters from Troy started finding the open spots on the court and mixing in aces for an easy 8-2 victory. The duo looked at ease throughout the match, as they were able to knock the ball around the court in the 30-minute match.
The Trojans clinched the point when the number one team of Luis Henrique Grangeiro and Mario Rolemberg were able to bounce back froma lull early in the match. Leading 5-0, the Trojans relaxed and allowed Jacksonville State to get back into the match at 5-3. After the Gamecock team of Chris Duke and Axel Sundberg were able to get back into the match, the Trojans won the final two games when each looked in doubt. Falling behind 15-40 on Rolemberg's service, the Trojans fought back and won the match after taking it to deuce; and then captured the final point for the 8-5 victory.
However, the match of the day in doubles for the Trojans came at number three where the team of Guilherme Sahadi and Anas Rouchdi found themselves down big midway through the opening set. Trailing 6-2, the team stormed back and tied the match at 8-all, and with all eyes on the third court they were able to win the match 9-8 to sweep the doubles play for the Trojans.
When singles play started, the Trojans needed just three points to clinch the match and two of those came very quickly.
The Trojans number one player, Grangeiro, dispatched of Jacksonville State's Kenyon easily in straight sets 6-2, 6-2. Following the match at number one, Aurelien Tave hit the courts for the first time on Tuesday and won his match 6-3, 6-2 over Jacksonville State's Sundberg.
Then things took an interesting turn.
Masson clinched the match in straight sets, but he was in trouble for a little bit in the second set to Jacksonville State's Marcec but came back to win in straight sets 6-2 and 6-4 to clinch the victory.
Following the clinching of the match, Weber turned things up a notch at number three after dropping the first set. In the opening set, Weber played 50 minutes before falling 6-3. He won the remaining two sets in less time than it took to drop the first set, winning the final two sets 6-2, and 6-1.
The two teams traded the last two singles on the court, winning a number five when Rolemberg claimed a 6-4, 3-6, 1-0 (10-6) victory; while Sahadi fell at number six 7-5, 6-1.
The Trojans return to action Thursday at South Alabama, beginning at 2:30 pm.
Troy 6, Jacksonville State 1
March 23, 2010
Troy, Alabama (Lunsford Tennis Complex)
Doubles
1. Luis Henrique Grangeiro/Mario Rolemberg (TROY) def. Chris Duke/Axel Sundberg (JSU), 8-5
2. Xavier Masson/Branko Weber (TROY) def. Gustavo Holz/Nenad Marcec (JSU), 8-2
3. Guilherme Sahadi/Anas Rouchi (TROY) def. Igor Santos/Brian Kenyon (JSU), 9-8
Order of Finish: 2,1,3
Singles
1. Luis Henrique Grangeiro (TROY) def. Brian Kenyon (JSU) 6-2, 6-2
2. Aurelien Tave (TROY) def. Axel Sundberg (JSU) 6-3, 6-2
3. Branko Weber (TROY) def. Nenad Marcec (JSU) 3-6, 6-2, 6-1
4. Xavier Masson (TROY) def. Chris Duke (JSU) 6-2, 6-4
5. Mario Rolemberg (TROY) def. Gustavo Holz (JSU) 6-4, 3-6, 1-0 (10-6)
6. Igor Santos (JSU) def. Guilherme Sahadi (TROY) 7-5, 6-1
Order of Finish: 1,2,4,3,5,6
