Men’s Tennis Continues Strong SEC Play; Defeats No. 14 Alabama, 7-0 4/6/03

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The Vanderbilt men’s tennis team moved one step closer to receiving one of the top four seeds for the upcoming Southeastern Conference Tournament (April 17-20), as it defeated No. 14 Alabama, 7-0, on Sunday afternoon at the Brownlee O. Currey Tennis Center. With the win, the Commodores improve to 16-3 overall and 7-2 in the SEC, while the Crimson Tide fall to 15-7 overall and 4-6 in the conference. Vanderbilt also improves to 11-0 at home in 2003.

The Commodores came out with a lot of intensity in the doubles competition, as they won at the No. 1 and No. 3 positions, while the No. 2 match was stopped because the point had been already clinched. Juniors Zach Dailey and Lewie Smith locked up the first win, as they defeated Chris Gostek and William Boyles, 8-3, at the third doubles spot. Dailey and Smith finished the weekend a perfect 2-0 in doubles, as the former three-time Tennessee High School State Doubles Champions were seeing action together for the first this season.

Junior Bobby Reynolds and sophomore Scott Brown clinched the doubles point for Vanderbilt, as they used two breaks of serve to defeat Maxim Belski and Geoff Hiscox, 8-4, at the No. 1 position. The Commodores have now won the doubles point in 16 of their 19 matches.

In singles, Reynolds pushed his dual-match SEC record to 9-0, as he defeated Belski in three sets, 6-4, 3-6, 6-3, at the No. 1 position. When Belski won the second set, it was the first time the No. 2-ranked Reynolds had dropped a set in SEC action this season. Reynolds improves his 2002-03 singles record to 35-6 with the win.

At the No. 2 singles position, junior Chad Harris battled back from a break of serve down in the first set, as he defeated Stephen Mitchell in straight sets, 6-4, 7-5. The 10th-ranked Harris was able to avenge a difficult three-set loss to Auburn’s Gabor Zoltan Pelva on Friday afternoon. Harris improves to 13-3 in dual-match competition.

Sophomore Matt Lockin was the first player off the court on Sunday, as he had no problems in defeating Chris Gostek in straight sets, 6-3, 6-2. Like Harris, the 89th-ranked Lockin was coming off a tight three-set defeat at the hands of Auburn’s Andy Colombo.

Dailey continued his outstanding singles play for head coach Ken Flach. With his 6-4, 6-3, win over Christian Brodersen at the No. 4 spot, Dailey is now 14-3 in dual matches. Brown clinched the match for Vanderbilt, as she defeated Hiscox in straights, 7-5, 6-2. Brown finished the weekend 4-0 in singles and doubles, but more importantly got back on track after losing four-straight singles matches.

Smith closed things out at the No. 6 position, as he held of Michael Ray Pallares in a tough three-set affair, 7-6, 3-6, 10-4. Smith is now 15-3 in dual-match competition in 2003.

The Commodores will play their final non-conference home match of the season at 2 p.m. Wednesday against Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro, Tenn.

Singles

Doubles