University of Georgia Athletics
Men's Tennis To Face Illinois For National Championship
May 21, 2007 | Men's Tennis
ATHENS, Ga. --- The No. 1 seeded University of Georgia men’s tennis team (31-0) has advanced to the National Championship match where they will meet No. 10 seeded Illinois Tuesday in Athens. Georgia took down No. 4 seeded Virginia in the National Semifinals Monday by a score of 4-1 to earn the right to compete in the final. The win was clinched by 95th-ranked freshman Nate Schnugg as he pulled out a come-from-behind three-set win over Houston Barrick in the fifth position, 4-6, 6-2, 6-2. The Championship match will be played at 3 p.m. at the Dan Magill Tennis Complex.
"We feel very good about advancing to the Finals,” said Georgia head coach Manuel Diaz. “Virginia is a great team, and I thought that the doubles point was big. Our feeling was, having won the doubles point, the pressure would be back on Virginia. Now we are going to prepare for the championship the same way we have been for the entire Tournament and take tomorrow as another good match against a very good team. It will take a great effort from our guys to beat a good team like Illinois tomorrow."
Georgia won a tightly contested doubles point to take a crucial 1-0 lead and snatch the early momentum in the match. The Bulldogs have now taken the doubles point in 30 of 31 matches on the year. For the first time in this year’s tournament Georgia lost a doubles match and needed to complete all three of them in order to win the point.
First off the court was the freshman tandem of Jamie Hunt (San Antonio, Texas) and Nate Schnugg as they notched an 8-3 win at the third position over GD Jones and Marko Miklo. Virginia fought back at the second position however as Dominic Inglot and Houston Barrick dropped Georgia’s 16th-ranked duo of senior Travis Helgeson (Overland Park, Kan.) and senior Matic Omerzel (Kranj, Slovenia), 8-6. With the doubles point resting on the outcome of the match in the top slot between the No. 1 and No. 2 ranked teams in the nation. Georgia’s top-rated duo of senior John Isner (Greensboro, N.C.) and junior Luis Flores (Xalapa, Mexico) fought to a 9-8 (3) win over second-ranked Somdev Devvarman and Treat Huey.
In singles play, Georgia took a 2-0 lead with an Omerzel victory at the fourth singles position for the second straight match, as he took down Miklo, 6-2, 6-3. The Bulldogs then made it a 3-0 advantage as 14th-ranked Helgeson took down No. 115 Dominic Inglot, 6-4, 6-4. Virginia picked up its first point of the match at the top spot as No. 2-ranked Devarmann took down No. 1-ranked Isner, 6-4, 6-4, but the Bulldogs proved to be too much as Schnugg clinched just a few minutes later.
"Coach Diaz is always telling us how important Courts 4, 5, and 6 are,” said Schnugg I'm proud to be down there with Jamie and Omi (Matic Omerzel). There's no place I would rather be. It's all about spirit down there. Houston played a great match today. I think he lost a little momentum later in the match. It was a grind and I'm lucky too have come out on top."
Georgia will make its 12th appearance in the NCAA Championship match. All four of the Bulldogs team championship crowns have been won in Athens (1985, 1987, 1999, 2001).
Tickets for the championship match will go on sale at 1 p.m. at the Dan Magill Tennis Complex.
#1 Georgia 4, #4 Virginia 1
May 21, 2007 at Athens, Ga.
Singles competition
1. #2 Somdev Devvarman (UVA) def. #1 John Isner (UGA) 6-4, 6-4
2. #14 Luis Flores (UGA) vs. #25 Treat Huey (UVA) 6-4, 4-6, 4-3, unfinished
3. #12 Travis Helgeson (UGA) def. #115 Dominic Inglot (UVA) 6-4, 6-4
4. #35 Matic Omerzel (UGA) def. Marko Miklo (UVA) 6-2, 6-3
5. #95 Nate Schnugg (UGA) def. Houston Barrick (UVA) 4-6, 6-2, 6-2
6. #104 Jamie Hunt (UGA) vs. Ted Angelinos (UVA) 4-6, 6-4, 1-1, unfinished
Doubles competition
1. #1 John Isner/Luis Flores (UGA) def. #2 Somdev Devvarman/Treat Huey (UVA) 9-8 (7-3)
2. Dominic Inglot/Houston Barrick (UVA) def. #16 Travis Helgeson/Matic Omerzel (UGA) 8-6
3. Nate Schnugg/Jamie Hunt (UGA) def. Ted Angelinos/Marko Miklo (UVA) 8-3
Match Notes
Virginia 30-4; National ranking #4
Georgia 31-0; National ranking #1
Order of finish: Doubles (3,2,1); Singles (4,3,1,5)
"We feel very good about advancing to the Finals,” said Georgia head coach Manuel Diaz. “Virginia is a great team, and I thought that the doubles point was big. Our feeling was, having won the doubles point, the pressure would be back on Virginia. Now we are going to prepare for the championship the same way we have been for the entire Tournament and take tomorrow as another good match against a very good team. It will take a great effort from our guys to beat a good team like Illinois tomorrow."
Georgia won a tightly contested doubles point to take a crucial 1-0 lead and snatch the early momentum in the match. The Bulldogs have now taken the doubles point in 30 of 31 matches on the year. For the first time in this year’s tournament Georgia lost a doubles match and needed to complete all three of them in order to win the point.
First off the court was the freshman tandem of Jamie Hunt (San Antonio, Texas) and Nate Schnugg as they notched an 8-3 win at the third position over GD Jones and Marko Miklo. Virginia fought back at the second position however as Dominic Inglot and Houston Barrick dropped Georgia’s 16th-ranked duo of senior Travis Helgeson (Overland Park, Kan.) and senior Matic Omerzel (Kranj, Slovenia), 8-6. With the doubles point resting on the outcome of the match in the top slot between the No. 1 and No. 2 ranked teams in the nation. Georgia’s top-rated duo of senior John Isner (Greensboro, N.C.) and junior Luis Flores (Xalapa, Mexico) fought to a 9-8 (3) win over second-ranked Somdev Devvarman and Treat Huey.
In singles play, Georgia took a 2-0 lead with an Omerzel victory at the fourth singles position for the second straight match, as he took down Miklo, 6-2, 6-3. The Bulldogs then made it a 3-0 advantage as 14th-ranked Helgeson took down No. 115 Dominic Inglot, 6-4, 6-4. Virginia picked up its first point of the match at the top spot as No. 2-ranked Devarmann took down No. 1-ranked Isner, 6-4, 6-4, but the Bulldogs proved to be too much as Schnugg clinched just a few minutes later.
"Coach Diaz is always telling us how important Courts 4, 5, and 6 are,” said Schnugg I'm proud to be down there with Jamie and Omi (Matic Omerzel). There's no place I would rather be. It's all about spirit down there. Houston played a great match today. I think he lost a little momentum later in the match. It was a grind and I'm lucky too have come out on top."
Georgia will make its 12th appearance in the NCAA Championship match. All four of the Bulldogs team championship crowns have been won in Athens (1985, 1987, 1999, 2001).
Tickets for the championship match will go on sale at 1 p.m. at the Dan Magill Tennis Complex.
#1 Georgia 4, #4 Virginia 1
May 21, 2007 at Athens, Ga.
Singles competition
1. #2 Somdev Devvarman (UVA) def. #1 John Isner (UGA) 6-4, 6-4
2. #14 Luis Flores (UGA) vs. #25 Treat Huey (UVA) 6-4, 4-6, 4-3, unfinished
3. #12 Travis Helgeson (UGA) def. #115 Dominic Inglot (UVA) 6-4, 6-4
4. #35 Matic Omerzel (UGA) def. Marko Miklo (UVA) 6-2, 6-3
5. #95 Nate Schnugg (UGA) def. Houston Barrick (UVA) 4-6, 6-2, 6-2
6. #104 Jamie Hunt (UGA) vs. Ted Angelinos (UVA) 4-6, 6-4, 1-1, unfinished
Doubles competition
1. #1 John Isner/Luis Flores (UGA) def. #2 Somdev Devvarman/Treat Huey (UVA) 9-8 (7-3)
2. Dominic Inglot/Houston Barrick (UVA) def. #16 Travis Helgeson/Matic Omerzel (UGA) 8-6
3. Nate Schnugg/Jamie Hunt (UGA) def. Ted Angelinos/Marko Miklo (UVA) 8-3
Match Notes
Virginia 30-4; National ranking #4
Georgia 31-0; National ranking #1
Order of finish: Doubles (3,2,1); Singles (4,3,1,5)
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