Southern Illinoise University Athletics
Men's Tennis Kicks Off Play at Murray State Invite
11/06/2009 | 12:00:00 | Men's Tennis
Nov. 6, 2009
By Michael Benson
www.SIUSalukis.com
KEN LAKE, Ky. - The SIU men's tennis team swept doubles play, while also winning in two singles matches, Friday at the Murray State Invitational in a non-team match against the Samford Bulldogs. In the non-team format, the teams do not record final team scores.
In Doubles Flight #1, the freshman duo of Brandon Florez and Chikara Kidera handily defeated the Bulldog pair of Zac Dunkle and Ryan Shidler, 8-5.
Meanwhile, in Doubles Flight #2, Jordan Snyder and Orhan Spahic snuck by John Flaniken and Joe Hunsicker by a score of 9-8.
In singles, Kidera continued his winning ways, as he topped Carson Kadi in Flight #2 with a match that saw all three sets go into tiebreakers. After falling in the first set, 6-7, the freshman from St. Louis came back to defeat Kadi in the second set, 7-5, and take the final set, 11-9.
Also recording a win in singles play was Pavlo Buryi, who defeated Scott Foster in Flight #6 with a straight sets win 7-6, 7-6.
In other singles action, Falk De Beenhouwer, seeing his first tournament action since injuring his arm earlier in the fall, was bested in Flight #4 by Samford junior Carl Abalos 3-6, 6-4, 10-8. In addition, Florez fell to Dunkle in Flight #1 6-4, 6-3, while Orhan Spahic and Jordan Snyder were handed straight set defeats in Flights #3 and #5, respectively.
"We played good doubles today and held serve when we needed to," said head coach Dann Nelson. "I am especially proud of Pavlo (Buryi), who won his first match of the fall season. He has struggled lately, but fought hard and never gave up."
The Salukis will continue action tomorrow, as they face the Jacksonville State Gamecocks in non-team competition.
Results (All matches vs. Samford)
Doubles Flight #1: Kidera/Florez def Dunkle/Shidler 8-5
Flight #2: Spahic/Snyder def Flaniken/Hunsicker 9-8
Singles Flight #1: Dunkle def Florez 6-4 6-3
Flight #2: Kidera def Kadi 6-7 7-5 11-9
Flight #3: Reynolds def Spahic 6-2 6-2
Flight #4: Abalos def De Beenhouwer 3-6 6-4 10-8
Flight #5: Witcher def Snyder 6-1 6-2
Flight #6: Buryi def Foster 7-6 7-6
Players Mentioned
