TROY Falls to South Alabama

Thursday, April 21

Mobile, AL

2:00 p.m.

Troy University

University of South Alabama

Photo by: Kevin Glackmeyer

4/21/2011 6:19:34 PM | Tennis (M)

Senior Mario Rolemberg plays last match for Trojans

By: Travis Jarome

Box Score

MOBILE, Ala. (SunBeltSports.org) - No. 3 seed South Alabama held off No. 6 Troy Friday afternoon for a 4-1 victory in the first round of the 2011 Sun Belt Conference Men's Tennis Championship.

The Jags defeated the Trojans for a third time this season with the win.

South Alabama advances to the second round of the tournament to face No. 2 Florida Atlantic after the Owls defeated No. 7 Western Kentucky earlier in the day. Match time is 2 p.m. (CT) on Friday at the Bruce David Lubel Memorial Tennis Courts on the University of South Alabama's campus.

USA's Romain Bocaert and Hanno Bartsch began doubles play with an 8-6 win over Troy's Jamie Eccleton and Mansingh Athare at number one doubles. At number three doubles, the Jaguar team of Dauw Kruger and Lucas Viel sealed the doubles point for USA by defeating Troy's Anas Rouchdi and Branko Weber 8-5.

In singles play, USA grabbed two victories to jump to a 3-0 lead after Dauw Kruger defeated Troy's Niklas Jonsson 6-1, 6-2 at number six singles, and Alex Bernard topped Troy's Jamie Eccleton at number two singles; 6-3, 6-1.

Sami Ghorbel put the Trojans on the board by earning a point at number four singles position after he edged USA's Hanno Bartsch 7-6, 6-4. Lucas Viel secured the match for the Jags with a win at number five singles over Troy's Mario Rolemberg 7-5, 6-3.

The loss brings an end to the season for the defending Sun Belt Conference champion Trojans, and the career Rolemberg.

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