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The NCAA News -- June 7, 1999

Georgia's southern hospitality becomes men's tennis win

Host Georgia delivered the best possible outcome to its fans at the Division I Men's Tennis Championships by narrowly defeating UCLA, 4-3, and winning the national title May 30.

The team trophy is the Bulldogs' first since 1987.

Georgia and UCLA split the six singles matches, but Georgia was able to capture the doubles point with wins at Nos. 1 and 2 doubles.

The Bulldogs' duo of Hisham Hemeda and Adam Seri battled to an 8-6 win over UCLA's Jean-Noel Grinda and Jong Min-Lee at No. 1 doubles, and Michael Lang and Travis Parrott took down the Bruins' Jason Cook and Brandon Kramer by the same 8-6 count to provide the difference.

Georgia head coach Manuel Diaz was at a loss for words after the win.

"I'm really pretty speechless," he said. "We fought a good fight. After we won the doubles point, we did everything right and played with a lot of composure. We didn't break, and we didn't show any doubts. My hat's really off to this club."

Georgia relied on that composure in its singles victories. UCLA took Nos. 1 and 2 singles, with Grinda defeating Hemeda, 6-4, 6-7 (4), 6-4, and Zack Fleishman winning, 6-3, 6-3, over Georgia's Talito Corrales.

But Georgia had wins at Nos. 3, 4 and 6 singles, including Chad Carlson's victory at No. 3 with a 6-4, 7-6 (3) win over UCLA's Cook.

The title match-up came down to the No. 4 singles match, where Joey Pitts of Georgia defeated UCLA's Min-Lee, 5-7, 6-3, 6-2, giving the Bulldogs the crown.

"I was just trying to stay focused on the match, keep playing to win, keep moving forward, keep doing what got me to that point," said Pitts. "I wasn't really that focused on the crowd. I'm sure they were going nuts, but I guess you could say I was in a zone."

Diaz said the parity among teams competing at 1999 championship made his team's victory even more meaningful.

"We're excited and feel like it's one of the best fields ever," he said. "There have been more upsets and 4-3 matches than ever before this year. This is the deepest the country has ever been with the amount of quality teams.

"We weren't picked to win the conference, let alone the national championship. We may not be the No. 1 team next week, but this week, we proved it."

Georgia finished the year 20-0.

The title match-up was the third in championship history for Georgia and UCLA, and the Bulldogs have defeated the Bruins each time.

Defending champion Stanford did not win the team title, but its doubles duo of K. J. Hippensteel and Ryan Wolters captured the doubles title over Tulsa's Nenad Toroman and Gareth Williams, 6-3, 6-2.

Wolters credited Hippensteel with keeping him in the match. "K. J. kept fighting and picked me up when I started a little flat. It was great to come out here and put together a good week of tennis," he said.

Stanford's doubles victory was its 13th in championship history and second consecutive. Stanford continued its streak of taking championship hardware home for the fifth consecutive year, having won at least one individual or team title in that time period.

Florida's Jeff Morrison won the singles title with a hard-fought 7-6 (7), 2-6, 6-4 triumph over Harvard's James Blake. Morrison was seeded second in the competition, while Blake was playing as the No. 1 seed.

"It's an unbelievable feeling," Morrison said. "I knew that it was going to be a dogfight. I was getting tired in the second set -- he was running me a lot, and I was feeling sluggish. But I told myself, 'one more set for the national title -- if you don't find it now, you're never going to find it.' "

TEAM RESULTS

First round

UCLA 4, Virginia Tech 1; Florida 4, Southern Methodist 1; Duke 4, Kentucky 2; LSU 4, Fresno St. 2; Baylor 4, Stanford 2; Georgia 4, Texas 0; Illinois 4, Arizona St. 1; Mississippi 4, Mississippi St. 2.

Quarterfinals

UCLA 4, Florida 1; LSU 4, Duke 3; Georgia 4, Baylor 3; Mississippi 4, Illinois 3.

Semifinals

UCLA 4, LSU 1; Georgia 4, Mississippi 1.

Championship

Georgia 4, UCLA 3

Doubles: No. 1 -- Hisham Hemeda-Adam Seri, Georgia, def. Jean-Noel Grinda-Jong Min-Lee, UCLA, 8-6; No. 2 -- Michael Lang-Travis Parrott, Georgia, def. Jason Cook-Brandon Kramer, UCLA, 8-6; No. 3 -- Suspended.

Singles: No. 1 -- Grinda, UCLA, def. Hemeda, Georgia, 6-4, 6-7 (4), 6-4; No. 2 -- Zack Fleishman, UCLA, def. Talito Corrales, Georgia, 6-3, 6-3; No. 3 -- Chad Carlson, Georgia, def. Cook, UCLA, 6-4, 7-6 (3); No. 4 -- Joey Pitts, Georgia, def. Min-Lee, UCLA, 5-7, 6-3, 6-2; No. 5 -- Kramer, UCLA, def. Seri, Georgia, 6-2, 7-5; No. 6 -- Lang, Georgia, def. Marcin Rozpedski, UCLA, 2-6, 7-6 (4), 6-2.

INDIVIDUAL RESULTS

Singles

First round: James Blake, Harvard, def. Asaf Tishler, UNLV, 6-2, 6-3; Doug Bohaboy, Northwestern, def. Jonathon Reardsley, Yale, 7-6 (2), 6-2; Robert Kendrick, Washington, def. Pawel Gaidzik, Baylor, 6-1, 7-5; Roberto Bracone, North Carolina St., def. Geoff Abrams, Stanford, 6-2, 7-5; Hisham Hemeda, Georgia, def. Luis Uribe, Kansas, 6-3, 6-3; Shuon Madden, Texas A&M, def. Matthieu Bailay, Mississippi St., 6-3, 4-6, 6-2; Aaron Marchetti, Virginia Tech, def. Patrick Gottesleben, Southern California, 6-7 (5), 7-6 (5), 6-3; Brandon Hawk, Texas, def. Daniel Andersson, Va. Commonwealth, 7-6 (6), 6-1.

Mark Parsons, Tennessee, def. Ryan Sachire, Notre Dame, 6-4, 5-7, 6-0; Carlos Drada, Kentucky, def. Guillaume Legat, South Carolina, 2-6, 3-0 ret.; Ryan Wolters, Stanford, def. Tom Chicoine, Minnesota, 3-6, 7-6 (5), 6-4; Oskar Johansson, Arkansas, def. Pepe Caballero, New Mexico, 6-3, 6-3; Nathan Overholser, Florida, def. Jean-Noel Grinda, UCLA, 6-7 (4), 6-1, 6-4; Jeff Williams, Arizona St., def. Gareth Williams, Tulsa, 6-4, 6-2; Peter Luczak, Fresno St., def. Francisco Rodriguez, Alabama, 7-6 (1), 2-6, 7-5; Tom Hand, LSU, def. Dmitry Muzyka, Duke; 6-3, 6-2.

Eric Drew, Washington, def. Alex Waske, San Diego St., 6-3, 2-6, 6-4; Johann Jooste, Baylor, def. Nenad Toroman, Tulsa, 7-6 (3), 6-7 (7), 7-6 (7); Justin O'Neal, Florida, def. Jack Brasington, Texas, 6-4, 6-4; Michal Chmela, LSU, def. Kuni Maimudar, Harvard, 7-6 (2), 6-4; Jerome Jourdon, South Carolina, def. Cory Guy, UC Santa Barb., 5-7, 6-2, 6-4; Oliver Freelove, Illinois, def. Doug Root, Duke, 6-1, 6-4; Olivier Le Jeune, Fresno St., def. Tyler Cleveland, Iowa, 6-3, 4-0 ret.; Esteban Carril, TCU, def. James Shortall, Mississippi, 7-6 (5), 6-3.

Benjamin Cassaigne, Georgia Tech, def. Leif Meineke, Boise St., 7-6 (7), 6-7 (5), 6-2; Ignacio Hirigoyen, Southern Methodist, def. Chad Carlson, Georgia, 6-3, 6-1; Gustavo Marcaccio, Arizona St., def. Marco Baron, Mississippi St., 6-4, 6-3; Robert Samuelsson, Tulane, def. Mark Loughrin, Wisconsin, 6-3, 6-3; Brian Vahaly, Virginia, def. Rob Howarth, Oklahoma St., 6-1, 6-2; Peter Hadoyo, Tennessee, def. Efe Ustundag, Rice, 7-6 (9), 6-4; Kelly Gullett, Pepperdine, def. Adam Marchetti, Virginia Tech, 6-7 (5), 6-2, 6-4; Jeff Morrison, Florida, def. K. J. Hippensteel, Stanford, 6-4, 7-5.

Second round: Blake, Harvard, def. Bohaboy, Northwestern, 6-4, 7-6 (5); Bracone, North Carolina St., def. Kendrick, Washington, 6-2, 2-6, 6-2; Hemeda, Georgia, def. Madden, Texas A&M, 6-4, 6-4; Hawk, Texas, def. Marchetti, Virginia Tech, 7-5, 6-2; Parsons, Tennessee, def. Drada, Kentucky, 7-6 (2), 7-6 (0); Wolters, Stanford, def. Johansson, Arkansas, 6-1, 6-0; Overholser, Florida, def. Williams, Arizona St., 6-7 (4), 6-3, 7-5; Luczak, Fresno St., def. Hand, LSU, 7-5, 6-3.

Drew, Washington, def. Jooste, Baylor, 6-2, 6-7 (5), 7-5; O'Neal, Florida, def. Chmela, LSU, 6-3, 6-4; Freelove, Illinois, def. Jourdon, South Carolina, 7-6 (8), 7-6 (6); Carril, TCU, def. Le Jeune, Fresno St., 6-7 (5), 7-5, 7-5; Hirigoyen, Southern Methodist, def. Cassaigne, 7-6 (7), 6-7 (5), 6-2; Samuelsson, Tulane, def. Marcaccio, Arizona St., 7-5, 6-1; Handoyo, Tennessee, def. Vahaly, Virginia, 6-3, 6-3; Morrison, Florida, def. Gullett, Pepperdine, 6-2, 7-5;

Third round: Blake, Harvard, def. Bracone, North Carolina St., 6-2, 7-5; Hawk, Texas, def. Hemeda, Georgia, 4-6, 7-5, 7-6 (5); Wolters, Stanford, def. Parsons, Tennessee, 6-4, 2-6, 6-4; Overholser, Florida, def. Luczak, Fresno St., 6-3, 6-3; Drew, Washington, def. O'Neal, Florida, 6-3, 3-6, 6-3; Carril, TCU, def. Freelove, Illinois, 6-4, 6-7 (9), 6-4; Hirigoyen, Southern Methodist, def. Samuelsson, Tulane, 6-4, 6-2; Morrison, Florida, def. Handoyo, Tennessee, 7-6 (6), 6-1.

Quarterfinals: Blake, Harvard, def. Hawk, Texas, 6-2, 7-6 (1); Wolters, Stanford, def. Overholser, Florida, 6-3, 6-4; Drew, Washington, def. Carril, TCU, 6-4, 6-4; Morrison, Florida, def. Hirigoyen, Southern Methodist, 6-4, 6-2.

Semifinals: Blake, Harvard, def. Wolters, Stanford, 2-6, 6-1, 6-1; Morrison, Florida, def. Drew, Washington, 6-2, 6-3.

Championship: Morrison, Florida, def. Blake, Harvard, 7-6 (7), 2-6, 6-4.

Doubles

First round: Leif Meineke-Wesley Moodie, Boise St., def. Gwenael Guelt-Paul Martin, Texas, 3-6, 7-6 (4), 6-3; Mat Guyuax-Fabio Tintori, South Fla., def. Pablo Bellagamba-Josh Goffi, Clemson, 6-3, 3-6, 6-3; Dustin Mauck-Keith Pollack, Southern Methodist, def. Adrian Barnes-Chris Santoso, California, 7-5, 7-5; Shane Stone-Efe Ustundag, Rice, def. Myles Clouston-Raul Munoz, Wake Forest, 7-6 (5), 6-2.

Jean-Noel Grinda-Jong Min-Lee, UCLA, def. Gregor Skorin-Nenad Zivkovic, UNLV, 6-3, 6-3; K. J. Hippensteel-Ryan Wolters, Stanford, def. Jeff Laski-Gavin Sontag, Illinois, 7-5, 6-7 (4), 6-2; Eric Drew-Robert Kendrick, Washington, def. Daniel Andersson-Frank Moser, Va. Commonwealth, 4-6, 6-0, 7-6 (5); Ed Carter-Jeff Williams, Arizona St., def. Rob Howarth-Matt Prentice, Oklahoma St., 6-3, 7-6 (3).

Nenad Toroman-Gareth Williams, Tulsa, def. Geoff Abrams-Alex Kim, Stanford, 1-6, 6-3, 6-4; Jeff Morrison-Nathan Overholser, Florida, def. Ben Coates-Phil Rodrigue, Utah, 6-2, 6-1; Pepe Caballero-Nicolas Dubey, New Mexico, 6-3, 3-6, 6-3; Aaron Marchetti-Adam Marchetti, Virginia Tech, def. Cary Franklin-Oliver Freelove, Illinois, 3-6, 7-5, 6-4.

Patrick Gottesleben-Roman Kukal, Southern California, def. Ronald Kloppert-Robert Samuelsson, Tulane, 1-6, 6-1, 6-1; Jason Cook-Brandon Kramer, UCLA, def. Huntley Montgomery-Brian Vahaly, Virginia, 6-4, 6-4; Kelly Gullett-John Hul, Pepperdine, def. Dimity Muzyka-Jordan Wile, Duke, 6-7 (4), 6-2, 6-3; James Blake-Kuni Majmudar, Harvard, def. Manual Calvo-Damien Ward, Brigham Young, 6-2, 6-4.

Second round: Meineke-Moodie, Boise St., def. Guyuax-Tintori, South Fla., 4-6, 6-4, 6-1; Stone-Ustundag, Rice, def. Mauck-Pollack, Southern Methodist, 6-4, 6-4; Hippensteel-Wolters, Stanford, def. Grinda-Min-Lee, UCLA, 6-2, 6-1; Carter-Williams, Arizona St., def. Drew-Kendrick, Washington, 7-6 (5), 6-3. Toroman-Williams, Tulsa, def. Morrison-Overholser, Florida, 6-4, 3-6, 6-4; Caballero-Dubey, New Mexico, def. Marchetti-Marchetti, Virginia Tech, 3-6, 6-4, 7-5; Gottesleben-Kukal, Southern California, def. Cook-Kramer, UCLA, 7-6 (6), 6-3; Gullet-Hul, Pepperdine, def. Blake-Majmudar, Harvard, 3-6, 6-4, 6-4.

Quarterfinals: Meineke-Moodie, Boise St., def. Stone-Ustundag, Rice, 6-3, 7-5; Hippensteel-Wolters, Stanford, def. Carter-Williams, Arizona St., 6-2, 7-5; Toroman-Williams, Tulsa, def. Caballero-Dubey, New Mexico, 4-6, 7-6 (4), 6-3; Gottesleben-Kukal, Southern California, def. Gullett-Hul, Pepperdine, 6-4, 4-6, 7-5.

Semifinals: Hippensteel-Wolters, Stanford, def. Meineke-Moodie, Boise St., 6-2, 6-1; Toroman-Williams, Tulsa, def. Gottesleben, Southern California, 4-6, 7-6 (4), 6-3.

Championship: Hippensteel-Wolters, Stanford, def. Toroman-Williams, Tulsa, 6-3, 6-2.