Wildcats win two matches

Wednesday, March 31

Birmingham, Ala.

10 a.m.

Abilene Christian

Stillman College

3/31/2010 9:51:47 PM | Men's Tennis

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- The 25th-ranked ACU Wildcats won a pair of matches Wednesday in a tune-up day for the Blue-Gray Classic, including a win over NCAA Division I Samford University.

The Wildcats (13-7) whipped Stillman College, 8-1, before knocking off Samford, 4-3, at the Samford Tennis Center.

The Wildcats will return to action Thursday at 10 a.m. when it takes on Auburn-Montgomery, 16-1 and ranked No. 2 in the nation in NAIA men's tennis. The Wildcats will then play West Florida at 3 p.m. The pairings for Friday's rounds will be determined by Thursday's action.

After blitzing Stillman earlier Wednesday afternoon, the Wildcats turned their attention to Samford, which entered the match at 9-7 on the season.

The Wildcats won the doubles point as the teams of Luke Hawk and John Strahl and Jared Hope and Bryan Joiner won their matches at Nos. 1 and 3, respectively.

Samford came back in singles play, though, to win three of the first five matches to finish, knotting the score at 3-3. The match came down to No. 1 singles where ACU's Eldad Campbell and Samford's Carson Kadi waged a three-set battle.

After winning the first set 6-3, Campbell dropped the second set 6-4. But with both teams and all the crowd's attention focused on the final match on the court, Campbel pulled out a 6-4 win to give the Wildcats the 4-3 team win.

"I was really impressed with Samford," ACU head coach Huton Jones said. "This was one of our best efforts of the season, if it wasn't our best effort of the season. It was a really hard-fought match, and it took a lot out of us. But we've got three days of tough tennis coming up, and we'll have to get ready to go again Thursday."

ACU 8, Stillman College 1
Singles
1. Irazahal, Stillman, def. Cody McCarty, ACU, 6-7, 6-4, 10-5
2. Jared Hope, ACU, def. Hrjnic, Stillman, 6-1, 6-2
3. John Strahl, ACU, def. Farias, Stillman, 6-1, 6-1
4. Brett Proctor, ACU, def. Farias, Stillman, 6-2, 6-1
5. Bryan Joiner, ACU, def. Walker, Stillman, 6-1, 6-1
6. Karl Bein, ACU, def. Wilbourn, Stillman, 6-2, 6-1

Doubles
1. Luke Hawk-John Strahl, ACU, def. Irazahl-Farias, Stillman, 8-4
2. Bryan Joiner-Jared Hope, ACU, def. Hrjnic-Farias, Stillman, 8-3
3. Cody McCarty-Eldad Campbell, ACU, def. Wilbourn-Walker, Stillman, 8-1

ACU 4, Samford 3
Singles
1. Eldad Campbell, ACU, def. Carson Kadi, SU, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4
2. Zac Dunkle, SU, def. John Strahl, ACU, 6-2, 6-2
3. Luke Hawk, ACU, def. Oliver Reynolds, SU, 6-2, 6-3
4. Bryan Joiner, ACU, def. Scott Foster, SU, 7-6 (7-5), 6-2
5. Carl Abalos, SU, def. Jared Hope, ACU, 6-2, 6-2
6. Adam Witcher, SU, def. Brett Proctor, ACU, 6-2, 6-2

Doubles
1. Luke Hawk-John Strahl, ACU, def. Michael Browder-Carson Kadi, SU, 8-5
2. Zac Dunkle-Oliver Reynolds, SU, def. Eldad Campbell-Brett Proctor, ACU, 8-4
3. Jared Hope-Bryan Joiner, ACU, def. Scott Foster-Carl Abalos, SU, 8-5