LEXINGTON, VA (April 20, 2008)–There is something to be said about a team that can respond after losing its leader. By about 4 pm this afternoon, Hampden-Sydney's tennis team hopes that something involves mention of a championship.
Again without the services of ace Will Moss (Fredericksburg, VA/Fredericksburg), the second-seeded Hampden-Sydney tennis squad showed why it is the first ever Tigers' unit to garner a regional ranking, coming back from a 2-1 deficit to squeak by No. 3 seed Roanoke College 5-4 in the second match of the 2008 ODAC Men's Tennis Tournament semifinals yesterday on the campus of Washington and Lee University. The victory sends the Tigers into the ODAC Championship match today, Sunday, April 20 at 2 pm against the host and top-seed Generals, who blanked their semifinal opponent, Guilford College, 9-0 in the first semifinal of the day.
This version of the Tigers/Maroons rivalry was vastly dissimilar from the 7-2 route enjoyed by Hampden-Sydney in the teams' regular season encounter.
The Tigers fell behind early after the doubles portion of the match, falling in No. 1 doubles 8-2 and No. 3 doubles 9-7 before the Tiger second tier pair of Shad Harrell (Richmond, VA/Mills Godwin) andZack Pack (Keysville, VA/Randolph-Henry) rallied to score a 9-7 victory over Roanoke's Sam Sherrill and Sam Jordan in the No. 2 showdown.
Playing in the No. 1 singles position for the second straight match in place of his injured teammate Moss, Tigers' freshman Rich Pugh (Augusta, GA/Lakeside) rebounded from his doubles defeat to oust Roanoke No. 1 Hart Callahan in three sets, 6-4, 3-6, 7-5 to set the tone for an outstanding afternoon of tennis. The Maroons captured victories in the No. 2 and No. 3 singles matches, both straight set victories, while the Tigers responded with wins by freshman Tal Covington (Gainesville, VA/Flint Hill School) and senior Andrew McLeod (Mandeville, Jamaica/Manchester) at No. 4 and No. 5 singles, respectively to knot the match score at 4-4.
Fittingly enough, with a berth in the title match on the line, the No. 6 singles match went the distance, with Hampden-Sydney's Kenneth Holzapfel (Hagerstown, MD/St. Maria Goretti) erasing a one set deficit to turn in a 2-6, 6-0, 6-2 triumph at No. 6 singles over Roanoke's Alex Lyons. The win eliminated the possibility of a rematch of the 2007 ODAC Championship match and put the Tigers (14-2) in position to claim their third ever conference crown.
The Tigers will be up against true greatness; No. 1 seed Washington and Lee (16-4) will vie for its record 28th ODAC title and 13th straight dating back to 1996.
The top-two seeds in the tournament will square off today, April 20 at 2 pm in Lexington, VA. For more information on the Men's Tennis Championship, follow this link to the ODAC Championship Website.
Singles
1. Rich Pugh (HSC) def. Hart Callahan (RC): 6-4, 3-6, 7-5
2. Kyle Allen (RC) def. Shad Harrell (HSC): 6-3, 6-1
3. Sam Sherrill (RC) def. Zack Pack (HSC): 6-3, 6-0
4. Tal Covington (HSC) def. Drew Rogers (RC): 7-5, 2-6, 6-2
5. Andrew McLeod (HSC) def. Sam Jordan (RC): 6-0, 6-3
6. Kenneth Holzapfel (HSC) def. Alex Lyons (RC): 2-6, 6-0, 6-2
Doubles
1. Allen/Callahan (RC) def. Pugh/Holzapfel (HSC): 8-2
2. Harrell/Pack (HSC) def. Sherrill/Jordan (RC): 9-7
3. Rogers/Lyons (RC) def. McLeod/Covington (HSC): 9-7
