May 16, 1998
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LEXINGTON, Ky. – Top seeds, No. 1 Florida and No. 2 Tennessee, will both go home early as they were upset in the semifinals of the NCAA Region III Tournament.
No. 2 Tennessee and No. 3 Auburn battled it out the first match of the day for a chance to advance to the NCAA Region III Final. Tied at three, the match came down to the No. 6 singles court between Auburn’s Lionel Bourroux and Tennessee’s John Fritts. Bourroux pulled out a tie-break in the third set over Fritts, who was grimacing with muscle cramps in both legs, to clinch the win for the Tigers, 6-4, 3-6, 7-6(1). UT’s Paul Podbury, who took three intravenous bags at the UK Hospital after his dehydrating performance on Friday, bounced back to win at No. 2 doubles with teammate Juan Gamboa over Auburn’s Matijasevic/Moller, 8-5.
“This year we won many matches 4-3, even against Auburn earlier this year,” Tennessee Coach Michael Fancutt said. “This match we lost 4-3, so we cry. We live by 4-3 or we die by 4-3.”
No. 5 Alabama started the second match by taking the doubles point over top-seeded Florida at No. 1 and No. 2 doubles. The match evened up at three and with pressure building on Alabama’s Graydon Oliver match versus Florida’s Amr El Sawaf. Oliver pulled out the three-set match at No. 5 singles to clinch the victory for Alabama, 7-6(5), 3-6, 6-2.
“I knew we were capable of winning today,” first-year Alabama Coach Adam Steinberg said. “We came to Lexington to win this tournament. I can’t say I knew we were going to win, but I knew that our team was going to fight hard to the very end. I’m ecstatic about this win over Florida. They are a great and very well coached team.”
The Region III championship final between No. 3 Auburn and No. 5 Alabama will take place at the Hilary J. Boone Tennis Center on Sunday at 1 p.m.
AGATENo. 3 Auburn 4, No. 2 Tennessee 3Men's singles*Clinched match1. Lee Pearson (AU) def. Mark Way (UT) 6-0, 6-0 2. Steve Huss (AU) def. Mark Fitzpatrick (UT) 6-2,5-7,6-3 3. Matt Parsons (UT) def. Rene Moller (AU) 7-6, 7-5 4. Georges Matijasevic (AU) def. Chad Copenhaver (UT) 6-3, 6-2 5. Juan Gamboa (UT) def. Marcel Mizerski (AU) 4-6, 6-2, 6-0 6. Lionel Bourroux (AU) def. John Fritts (UT) 6-4,3-6,7-6 (1)*
Men’s doubles1. Huss/Pearson (AU) def. Way/Copenhaver (UT) 8-4 2. Podbury/Gamboa (UT) def. Matijasevic/Moller (AU) 8-5 3. Fitzpatrick/Parsons (UT) def. Limbart/Mizerski (AU) 8-6
No. 5 Alabama 4, No. 1 Florida 3Men’s singles* Clinched match1. Francisco Rodriguez (A) def. Jon Glover (F) 7-6(0), 6-3 2. Chris Lopez (A) def. Justin O’Neal (F) 6-4, 6-3 3. Nathan Overholser (F) def. Ariel Rivero (A) 6-4, 6-3 4. Jeff Morrison (F) def. Alin Taranga (A) 6-4, 7-6(2) 5. Graydon Oliver (A) def. Amr El Sawaf (F) 7-6(5), 3-6, 6-2* 6. Dylan Mann (F) def. Mason Snider (A) 6-4, 1-6, 6-3
Men’s doubles1. Rodriguez/Rivero (A) def. Overholser/Morrison (F) 8-5 2. Oliver/Chang (A) def. El Sawaf/Glover (F) 8-5 3. Whigham/O’Neal (F) vs. Taranga/Lopez (A) susp.
