Anderson Tops Wingate In NCAA Men’s Tennis Tournament

MILLEDGEVILLE, Ga. -- The number 22 Anderson University Trojans picked up a 5-2 victory over Wingate University Thursday afternoon in the first round of the NCAA Division II Southeast Regional men's tennis tournament. The match was played at the Centennial Center Tennis Facility on the campus of Georgia College and State University.

The Trojans led 2-1 after doubles matches. Wingate did not fold the tents, as Bulldog freshman Flavio Rathsam (Sao Paulo, Brazil) picked up a convincing 6-0, 6-1 victory over AU freshman Benjamin Pepion (Monaco, France) in the number six singles match.

Anderson acquired three straight-set victories to clinch the match. Trojan sophomore Philip Pakebusch (Hamburg, Germany) clinched the victory for his team when he defeated Bulldog sophomore Mitchell Lvovsky (Dania, Fla.) 6-3, 6-2. Pakebusch is the number seven player in the NCAA Division II rankings.

Rathsam had two victories Thursday. In doubles, he teamed with classmate Bruno Pudence (Sao Paulo, Brazil) to defeat AU sophomore Renato Assuncao (Sao Paulo, Brazil) and freshman Ilya Zakharov (Tomsk, Russia) 8-6 at the number two doubles flight.

Wingate freshman Matthew Lichtenstein (Darnestown, Md.) led Zakharov 6-4, 2-1 at the number five singles slot when play was suspended. Bulldog freshman Andrew Owen (Kitchener, Ontario) was tied at one set each with Assuncao in the number four singles match when the Trojans clinched the victory.

The Bulldogs earned their first trip to the NCAA post-season since 2002 with an everyday line-up that featured four freshmen, three sophomores and one senior. A four-year letterman, Bulldog senior Jose Valarezo (Guayaquil, Ecuador) will graduate during Wingate's commencement exercises Saturday. Wingate head coach Michael Cabana led the Bulldogs to the 2009 South Atlantic Conference regular season championship. For his efforts, Cabana was named SAC men's tennis Coach of the Year.

Anderson will face Peach Belt Conference (PBC) member Columbus State University Friday (May 8) at 2 p.m. at the Centennial Center Tennis Facility. Lees-McRae College defeated Limestone College 5-3 in Thursday's early match. The LMC Bobcats will face host Georgia College Friday morning at 10 a.m. The championship match is slated for Saturday, May 9.

2009 NCAA Men's Tennis Preliminary Round
Wingate vs Anderson (May 07, 2009)
#22 Anderson 5, Wingate 2
May 07, 2009 at Milledgeville, Ga. (Centennial Center Tennis Facility)

Singles competition
1. #7 Philip Pakebusch (ANDERSON) def. Mitchell Lvovsky (WING) 6-3, 6-2
2. #31 Stephane Murray (ANDERSON) def. Bruno Pudence (WING) 6-3, 6-4
3. Navaneetha Baskaran (ANDERSON) def. Braeden Patchell (WING) 6-2, 6-3
4. Andrew Owen (WING) vs. Renato Assuncao (ANDERSON) tied one set each, DNF
5. Matthew Lichtenstein (WING) led Ilya Zakharov (ANDERSON) 6-4, 2-1, DNF
6. Flavio Rathsam (WING) def. Benjamin Pepion (ANDERSON) 6-0, 6-1

Doubles competition
1. Philip Pakebusch/Navaneetha Baskaran (ANDERSON) def. Louis Villarroel/Braeden Patchell (WING) 8-1
2. Flavio Rathsam/Bruno Pudence (WING) def. Renato Assuncao/IIya Zakharov (ANDERSON) 8-6
3. Stephane Murray/Benjamin Pepion (ANDERSON) def. Matthew Lichtenstein/Jose Valarezo (WING) 8-4