April 21, 2007

Houston, Texas - The University of Tulsa extended its six-match winning streak with a 5-0 victory over UAB in the semifinals of the 2007 Conference USA Men's Tennis Championship on Saturday at the Jake Hess Tennis Stadium on the campus of Rice University in Houston, Texas. The 21st-ranked and defending C-USA Tournament champions improve to 18-6 on the season, while the Blazers drop to 13-8. UAB also appeared in the 2006 semifinals before losing to Rice, 4-1.

TULSA 5, UAB 0

In Tulsa's five C-USA championship matches, the Golden Hurricane have out scored their opponents, 21-1. The championship match will feature TU (18-6) and the winner of the Rice/SMU match that's currently in progress. Title match is set for Sunday at 12 p.m.

TU jumped out in front by winning the doubles point with victories at No. 2 and 3, for the second-straight match. Within 35 minutes, Tulsa junior Arnau Brugues and senior Federico Soriano had defeated freshman Alex Emery and sophomore Thomas Weiss, 8-2, at No 3 doubles. At No. 2, Tulsa tandem of junior Andy Connelly and senior Lucques Maasdorp edged freshman Tim Bauer and junior Hanns Spangenberg, 8-5, for the doubles point.

Tulsa's veteran lineup held the advantage throughout singles competition as junior Will Gray eliminated Bauer, a freshman, 6-1, 6-1, at No. 3, for the second match point of the day. TU's fifth-ranked Arnau Brugues registered a straight-set win, 6-1, 6-2, over Weiss, a sophomore, to give TU a 3-0 edge.

The final point and toughest match of the day was a three-setter between TU sophomore Ross Cunningham and Emery at No. 5 singles. Cunningham took the first set 6-2, and Emery answered with a 6-1 win in the second set. Cunningham managed to win the third set, 6-4, giving Tulsa the point and the match.

Serving match point, TU junior Ricardo Soriano was allowed to conclude his No. 2 singles match for a 7-5, 6-3 win over Spangenberg.

2007 Conference USA Men's Tennis Championship
Houston, Texas * Jake Hess Tennis Stadium
April 20-22, 2007

MATCH FIVE SEMIFINALS

#1 Tulsa (18-6), 5
#4 UAB (13-8), 0

SINGLES
1. #5 Arnau Brugues, Tulsa def. Thomas Weiss, UAB, 6-1, 6-2
2. Ricardo Soriano, Tulsa def. Hanns Spangenberg, UAB, 7-5, 6-3
3. Will Gray, Tulsa def. Tim Bauer, UAB, 6-1, 6-1
4. Federico Soriano, Tulsa vs. Kruno Despotovski, UAB, DNF (6-3, 4-5)
€ 5. Ross Cunningham, Tulsa def. Alex Emery, UAB 6-2, 1-6, 6-4
6. Diego Camacho, Tulsa vs. Thomas Petrich, UAB, DNF (7-6 (4), 1-2)

Order of Finish: 3, 1, 5, 2

DOUBLES
1. #39 Diego Camacho/Ross Cunningham, Tulsa vs. Kruno Despotovski/Adrian Tollstam, UAB, DNF (7-4)
2. Andy Connelly/Lucques Maasdorp, Tulsa def. Tim Bauer/Hanns Spangenberg, UAB, 8-5
3. Arnau Brugues/Federico Soriano, Tulsa def. Alex Emery/Thomas Weiss, UAB, 8-2

Order of Finish: 3, 2