April 23, 2006

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - The Samford University tennis team nearly rallied for a come-from-behind victory over the top-seeded Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles in the championship match of the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament on Sunday as the Bulldogs mounted a late comeback, but fell short, 4-3.

With the overall score of the match tied at 3-3, Tennessee Tech's Borja Zarco secured the Golden Eagles' victory with a 7-5, 5-7, 7-5 win over Samford's Hank Grant on court No. 2. Each player fought to a 7-5 victory in the first two sets of the match before Zarco picked up another 7-5 win in the decisive third set.

Tennessee Tech took the early lead in the match by winning the doubles point. The Golden Eagles earned an 8-4 win on court No. 1 and a 9-7 victory on court No. 2.

Samford's doubles combination of Stuart Misner and Grant breezed by Tennessee Tech's Juan Pablo Gomez and Will Chappell on court No. 2, 8-2, for the Bulldogs' lone doubles win.

In singles play, Tennessee Tech rallied for straight-set wins on courts No. 4 and 5, while Samford's Johnny Griffee cruised to a 7-5, 6-2 victory over Gomez on court No. 6.

With Tennessee Tech leading the championship match, 3-1, Samford mounted its late comeback attempt with a pair of three-set singles victories on courts No. 1 and 3. On court No. 3, the Bulldogs' Misner outlasted Tiago Gilioli, 7-5, 5-7, 6-2.

Samford's Renan Silveira knocked off the Golden Eagles' Shunsuke Shimizu, 0-6, 7-5, 6-2, on court No. 1. Despite losing the first set, 6-0, Silveira took control of the match in the second set and then cruised to a 6-2 win in the third frame.

Following Samford's two consecutive singles wins, the Bulldogs evened the score at 3-3 with only the No. 2 singles match remaining.

Tennessee Tech 4, Samford 3

Doubles
1. Shunsuke Shimizu/Holger Schaefers (TTU) def. Renan Silveira/Brad Weaver, 8-4
2. Hank Grant/Stuart Misner (SAM) def. Juan Pablo Gomez/Will Chappell, 8-2
3. Borja Zarco/Tiago Gilioli (TTU) def. James Bryce/Johnny Griffee, 9-7

Tennessee Tech won the doubles point, 2-1

Singles
1. Renan Silveira (SAM) def. Shunsuke Shimizu (TTU), 0-6, 7-5, 6-2
2. Borja Zarco (TTU) def. Hank Grant (SAM), 7-5, 5-7, 7-5
3. Stuart Misner (SAM) def. Tiago Gilioli (TTU), 7-5, 5-7, 6-2
4. Holger Schaefers (TTU) def. Bradley Weaver (SAM), 6-1, 6-3
5. Juan Carlos Rebaza (TTU) def. James Bryce (SAM), 6-2, 6-4
6. Johnny Griffee (SAM) def. Juan Pablo Gomez (TTU), 7-5, 6-2