Wake Forest University
Clemson
Deacons Outlast #18 Tigers, 5-2
4/7/2006 12:00:00 AM | Men's Tennis
April 7, 2006
Winston-Salem, NC - The 26th-ranked Wake Forest men's tennis team outlasted 18th-ranked Clemson, 5-2, on Friday night at Leighton Tennis Stadium.
With the win, the Deacons improve to 14-6 overall, 6-2 in the ACC. The Tigers fall to 16-7, 3-5 in the conference. Wake Forest stays in the hunt for a regular season ACC championship. The Deacons are a half-game back of first place Virginia and Duke, but even in the win column at six each.
Andrew Hamar came from behind to seal the team victory for the Deacons. Wake Forest led 2-0 after winning the doubles point and getting an easy win from Brett Ross at number four. Clemson pulled even with straight set victories at numbers one and two. At number five, Mariusz Adamski closed out Paul Koenke in a second set tie breaker to push Clemson to the brink.
Hamar put the win in the books for the Deacons, erasing a one-set deficit to charge past Jermaine Jenkins, 3-6, 6-2, 6-3.
Hamar's win sent many fans to the exits. Those who stayed were treated to one of the best matches of the year, a three-set thriller between senior Liron Strauss and Clemson's Brett Twente at number six.
After losing the first set in a tiebreaker, Strauss was on the ropes, trailing 5-4 and 30-love in the second set. But the native of Tel Aviv, Israel, battled back to break Twente's serve, evening the set at five. Later, in the tiebreaker, Strauss won 7-5 to force a 10-point super tiebreaker. There, Strauss got out to a 4-1 lead, then fell behind 9-6. But Strauss held off a triple match point, scratching his way back to 9-9. Moments later, he ended the 3-hour marathon, winning 6-7, 7-6, 1-0 (11-9).
Paul suffered his second consecutive loss of the week. It marks the first time this season that has happened to the junior from Stamford, Conn. Paul has not lost back-to-back dual matches since May 2004, his freshman season.
As a team, the Deacons continue to roll. Wake Forest has won five of its last six and seven of its last nine. The Tigers, ranked as high as fifth earlier this season, have dropped five of their last six matches.
The match, which began at 5:00 p.m., lasted five hours and 20 minutes.
Wake Forest returns to action on Sunday for Senior Day. Joe Bates, Brett Ross and Liron Strauss will participate in their final match at Leighton Tennis Stadium. First serve against the 30th-ranked Yellow Jackets is set for noon.
#26 Wake Forest 5, #18 Clemson 2#1 - #13 Todd Paul (WF) vs. #41 Clement Reix (CU) CU -- 6-2, 7-5#2 - Cory Parr (WF) vs. #75 Sander Koning (CU) CU -- 6-3, 6-4#3 - #94 Andrew Hamar (WF) vs. Jermaine Jenkins (CU) WF** -- 3-6, 6-2, 6-3#4 - Brett Ross (WF) vs. Ryan Young (CU) WF -- 6-3, 6-0#5 - Mariusz Adamski (WF) vs. Paul Koenke (CU) WF -- 6-2, 7-6 (3)#6 - Liron Strauss (WF) vs. Brett Twente (CU) WF -- 6-7, 7-6 (5), 1-0 (11-9)
Order of Finish: 4, 1, 2, 5, 3, 6
#1 - #42 Hamar/Paul (WF) vs. #37 Jenkins/Reix (CU) CU -- 8-1#2 - Ross/Sartor (WF) vs. Koning/Young (CU) WF -- 8-3#3 - Adamski/Parr (WF) vs. Keeler/Koenke (CU) WF -- 8-6Order of Finish: 1, 2, 3WF: (14-6, 6-2 ACC)CU: (16-7, 3-5 ACC)
Players Mentioned
