Troy University Athletics
Sunday, April 19
New Orleans, La.
10:30 a.m.
Troy University
4
vs
1
South Alabama
Players Mentioned
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/ Tennis (M)
/ Tennis (M)
/ Tennis (M)
/ Tennis (M)
/ Tennis (M)
/ Tennis (M)
/ Tennis (M)
/ Tennis (M)
Troy Wins Sun Belt Championship Over Rival South Alabama
4/19/2015 3:38:00 PM | Tennis (M)
NEW ORLEANS – The top-seeded Troy men's tennis team won the second Sun Belt Conference Championship in program history with a 4-1 win over rival South Alabama in Sunday's championship match the City Park/Pepsi Tennis Center in New Orleans.
With the win, Troy earns the Sun Belt's automatic selection into the NCAA Regionals, which begin on May 8 at campus sites. The NCAA will announce the entire postseason field on April 28 at 5:30 p.m. in a selection show that will be aired live on the NCAA.com; Troy will announce details for a viewing party in the coming days.
"Today was a special moment for me to walk onto the tennis courts with an amazing group of young men," Troy head coach Scott Kidd said. "Their spirit, determination and commitment during the Sun Belt Championships set them apart from all the other teams.
"They deserved it for all their accomplishments this year. Today they left their hearts on the courts. Our words this season were 'One Mind, One Heart, One Goal' and I'm so honored to be apart of this amazing journey. I want to say a special thanks to Victor (Sanakaipapi), my assistant, and Sami Ghorbel and Tommy Cundy, our student assistants, for all that they have done to make a difference for this team."
Troy (25-6), the 60th-ranked team in the nation, will be making its second appearance in the NCAA Regionals after playing in the Gainesville Regional in 2010 following its first Sun Belt title.
Troy's 25 wins are currently the most among all NCAA Division I men's tennis teams, while its 17-win improvement from last season's 8-17 mark is also the best in the nation.
On Sunday against South Alabama (16-9), the 69th-ranked team in the nation, Troy started the day with a hard fought doubles point. After falling at No. 1, Gabriel Dias and Andy Lau pulled the Trojans even with an 8-6 win at No. 2 before Hassan Ndayishimye and Andre Baldo gave Troy the opening point with an 8-5 win at No. 3.
Ndayishimye quickly gave Troy a 2-0 lead as he cruised to a 6-2, 6-0 win over Tim Srkala at No. 2 singles. Ndayishimye is now 22-5 in singles matches this season and is the only Sun Belt play to win 20 singles matches this spring.
Giovani Samaha then moved his singles record to 18-3 with a 7-5, 6-3 win at No. 6 over Gerhard Gruindelingh. The junior's 11th straight win put Troy ahead 3-0 with four matches remaining on the courts.
The Jaguars' Tuki Jacobs won at No. 4 over Daniel Bustamante to cut the lead to 3-1, but Pablo Moreno then dominated a second-set tiebreaker at No. 5 to clinch the match. After cruising in the first set against Olivier Gingras, Moreno was locked in a fight in the second set before winning, 6-0, 7-6 (2) to give Troy the title.
Gabriel Dias and Andy Lau, at No. 1 and No. 3, respectively, were both locked into third-set battled when the match was decided. Both rebounded from losing the first set as Dias was tied with Sun Belt Player of the Year Daniel Leitner, 1-6, 6-4, 5-5, and Lau was down in the third set against Juan Troglia, 4-6, 6-2, 2-3.
#60 Troy 4, #69 South Alabama 1
Apr 19, 2015 at New Orleans, La. (City Park Tennis Center)
Singles competition
1. Gabriel Dias (TROY) vs. #89 Leitner, Daniel (USA) 1-6, 6-4, 5-5, unfinished
2. Hassan Ndayishimye (TROY) def. Srkala, Tim (USA) 6-2, 6-0
3. Andy Lau (TROY) vs. Troglia, Juan (USA) 4-6, 6-2, 2-3, unfinished
4. Jacobs, Tuki (USA) def. Daniel Bustamante (TROY) 6-4, 6-3
5. Pablo Moreno (TROY) def. Gingras, Olivier (USA) 6-0, 7-6 (7-2)
6. Giovani Samaha (TROY) def. Gruindelingh, G. (USA) 7-5, 6-3
Doubles competition
1. #78 Gruindelingh, G./Leitner, Daniel (USA) def. Pablo Moreno/Giovani Samaha (TROY) 8-5
2. Gabriel Dias/Andy Lau (TROY) def. Belda, Manuel/Srkala, Tim (USA) 8-6
3. Andre Baldo/Hassan Ndayishimye (TROY) def. Jacobs, Tuki/Troglia, Juan (USA) 8-5
Match Notes
South Alabama 16-9; National ranking #69
Troy 25-6; National ranking #60
Order of finish: Doubles (1,2,3); Singles (2,6,4,5)
2015 Sun Belt Conference Men's Tennis Championship Match
ITA Regular Format: Doubles first with Singles to follow
Troy Wins 2015 Sun Belt Conference Men's Tennis Championship
Official: Dale Williamson T-3:15 A-150
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