Jan. 17, 2010
SEC Coaches’ Indoor Championship Day Three Results
NORCROSS, Ga. — After claiming a straight-set victory to advance to the semifinals of the Southeastern Conference Coaches’ Indoor Championship, Kentucky sophomore Eric Quigley’s run to the tournament title was halted by No. 45 Javier Garrapiz of Georgia at the Racquet Club of the South, Sunday.
No. 8 Quigley, seeded third in the tournament, was brilliant in the quarterfinals, defeating Sekou Bangoura, Jr. of Florida in straight sets, 6-3, 7-5. Bangoura was not ranked in the tournament, but won three matches in convincing fashion to make it to the quarterfinals.
The Pewee Valley, Ky., native then faced off against sixth-seeded Garrapiz. Garrapiz had an impressive victory in the quarterfinals to make it to the semifinals defeating J.P. Smith of Tennessee, ranked second in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association’s preseason poll and seeded first in the tournament. The victory over Smith was the second top-40 player that Garrapiz had defeated in the tournament. Smith posted a key victory over Kentucky sophomore Alex Musialek in the round of 16 to make it to the quarterfinals.
In the semifinal matchup, Quigley jumped out early on Garrapiz taking the first set 6-3. But the Bulldog would gain momentum in the second set and ride it through the rest of the match claiming the next two sets by a score of 6-2, 6-2.
The semifinal appearance is still an accomplishment for the young Quigley, who out of 64 single players at the tournament made it to the final four. Quigley’s loss wrapped up the Wildcat’s weekend at the tournament.
Earlier in the day, UK senior Alex Lambropoulos ended his tournament with a win in the singles consolation bracket. Lambropoulos beat Max Gregor of Mississippi State, 6-4, 7-6 (5). Several other Wildcats were schedule to play in the consolation bracket but the matches were not played.
Kentucky will start its dual-match schedule on Saturday, playing host to Xavier and Morehead State. The action is scheduled to begin with UK vs. Xavier at noon, followed by the Morehead State match a 6 p.m. ET.
