University of Georgia Athletics
Bulldogs Clinch Share Of SEC Title With Win Over Wildcats
April 05, 2008 | Men's Tennis
Georgia is the only unbeaten team in conference play, while every other squad has at least two losses. With just two matches left to play, the Bulldogs are guaranteed a share of the title and can clinch the outright conference championship by winning either one of its last two. Georgia has now won 32 total SEC championships in men’s tennis. The regular-season crown is Georgia’s 25th, the most of any school in the conference. The next-closest is Florida, with nine. Additionally, Georgia has won seven SEC Tournament crowns, also the most of any conference school.
“It feels great to know we have won our 32nd SEC Championship,” said Georgia head coach Manuel Diaz. “Having said that, the focus of our guys has been an undefeated SEC season all along, that was the first goal we set for ourselves and I have no doubt we are capable of attaining that. If I had to describe this team in one word it would be tenacity. Every time we feel like we are overcoming injuries or adversity, we are hit with something else. But the level of belief on this team is fantastic.”
The Bulldogs have now won 39 consecutive matches against SEC opponents, a streak that began March 3, 2006 and includes consecutive perfect 11-0 regular seasons in 2006 and 2007. Georgia has also won two straight SEC Tournament championships in those years. Georgia has also successfully defended its home turf 44 times, a streak that began on April 23, 2005.
Georgia got out to a 1-0 lead by grinding out a tough doubles point. First off the court was the Bulldog sophomore tandem of Nate Schnugg (Medford, Ore.) and Christian Vitulli (Mombasa, Kenya), who beat Will Beck and Shane Collins, 8-3, in the second spot.. The point was then clinched by Georgia’s senior co-captain duo of Travis Helgeson (Overland Park, Kan.) and Luis Flores (Xalapa, Mexico) at the top position. After going down a break to Bruno Agostinelli and Brad Cox, Helgeson and Flores broke back to tie the match at 6-6, then held serve to go ahead and broke at 7-6 to win by a final score of 8-6.
Kentucky then won the match in the third doubles spot as Alex Lambropoulos and Marcus Sundh beat Georgia’s junior Josh Varela (Watkinsville, Ga.) and freshman Drake Bernstein (Winder, Ga.), 8-6.
“At No. 1 we were down a break and faced a lot of pressure but then went on a tear,” said Diaz. “They played outstanding tennis for those last five or six games. The momentum of a match can change so quickly, you can be in a position to win and close it out, or let it slip away. I thought we were playing very well at No. 3, then maybe got a little tentative and lost the lead. I know our guys are angry about that because they are competitors and they don’t usually let that happen.”
Following doubles, the match was sent indoors due to rain and lightning, causing approximately a 30-minute delay. Once action resumed, No. 3-ranked Helgeson rolled past No. 19-ranked Agostinelli, 6-1, 6-2. Next to finish was Flores, who toppled Cox in three sets from the second position, 6-3, 3-6, 6-1 to give Georgia a 3-0 lead. Schnugg then came through with the clinch, defeating Sundh 6-3, 4-6, 7-5.
With the match clinched the Bulldogs favor, Vitulli posted a three-set comeback win over Beck in the fourth position, winning 3-6, 7-6(4), 6-4. The remaining two singles matches were suspended early in the first set. At that time, Varela was tied with Collins, 2-2, and Bernstein was leading Lambropoulos, 2-1.
“I expected the match at No. 1 singles to be much tighter,” said Diaz. “Agostinelli is actually a better indoor player than outdoor, but Travis played an impeccable match. You have to give him a lot of credit for coming out and setting the tempo. For a while after that it was close, we lost the second set at No. 2 and No. 3 less than a minute apart. But I was very pleased to see both Luis and Nate come through and play tough. Then Christian made a tremendous comeback, to get that win was very solid.”
Georgia gets back into action Sunday, April 6, as the Bulldogs host No. 30 Vanderbilt at 1 p.m. on Senior Day at the Dan Magill Tennis Complex. With a win, Georgia can clinch the regular-season conference crown outright with one match left to play.
Tennis Match Results
Kentucky vs Georgia
Apr 04, 2008 at Athens, Ga.
(Dan Magill Tennis Complex)
#3 Georgia 5, #37 Kentucky 0
SINGLES
1. #3 Travis Helgeson (UGA) def. #19 Bruno Agostinelli (UK) 6-1, 6-2
2. #75 Luis Flores (UGA) def. Brad Cox (UK) 6-3, 3-6, 6-1
3. #11 Nate Schnugg (UGA) def. Marcus Sundh (UK) 6-3, 4-6, 7-5
4. Christian Vitulli (UGA) def. Will Beck (UK) 3-6, 7-6, 6-4
5. Josh Varela (UGA) vs. Shane Collins (UK) 6-2, 2-2, unfinished
6. Drake Bernstein (UGA) vs. Alex Lambropulous (UK) 2-1, unfinished
DOUBLES
1. Luis Flores/Travis Helgeson (UGA) def. Bruno Agostinelli/Brad Cox (UK) 8-6
2. Christian Vitulli/Nate Schnugg (UGA) def. Will Beck/Shane Collins (UK) 8-3
3. Alex Lambropulous/Marcus Sundh (UK) def. Drake Bernstein/Josh Varela (UGA) 8-6
Match Notes:
Kentucky 11-12, 3-6 SEC; National ranking #37
Georgia 19-1, 9-0 SEC; National ranking #3
Order of finish: Doubles (2,1,3); Singles (1,2,3,4)
Match moved indoors following the doubles point due to inclement weather.
Approximately a 30-minute delay.
Play resumed at 6:30
Georgia clinches at least a share of SEC Regular Season Title.
Official: Walt Williams T-3:38 A-412
