March 10, 2008

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. ------ The UAB men's tennis team improved its record to 5-1 on the season Monday as it cruised past visiting Tennessee-Martin, 6-1, at the Brook Highland Racquet Club.

The No. 75-ranked Blazers swept the three doubles matches to take a 1-0 lead and then won at five-of-six singles positions to post its fourth consecutive victory.

UAB took a quick claim to winning doubles by taking matches at No. 2 and 3. The Blazers' team of Tyrone Ewels and Slawomir Szeremeta won at No. 2 over UTM's Alfredo Krywacz and Christian Slabbert, 9-7. Freshman Dan Cornei and Alex Emery won by an 8-1 score at No. 3 over Matthew Harris and Stewart McRae, at the No. 3 spot. Brian Ly and Johannes Spangenberg closed out the doubles by taking an 8-7 win at No. 1 over the Skyhawks' Stephan Bruwer and Andrey Yesipov.

Senior Spangenberg was a 6-4, 6-2 winner at No. 1 singles as he downed Bruwer, 6-4, 6-2. Blazer freshman Cornei kept his undefeated singles record intact as he improved to 6-0 this spring with his 6-2, 6-0 win at No. 2 singles over UTM's Andrey Yesipov. Ewels as also a straight-set winner, taking a 6-1, 6-2 victory over Slabbert at No. 4 singles.

At No. 5, Ly was nearly flawless in a 6-0, 6-0 win over Petr Markov. Thomas Petrich finished off the singles wins with his 6-3, 7-5 (5) win over McRae at No. 6. UAB's only loss in the match was at No. 3 singles where Szeremeta fell to Krywacz, 6-3, 6-0, after leading 3-2 in the opening set.

UAB now looks to a trip out west this week as the Blazers travel to California for three dual matches, starting Wednesday against Cal-Irvine.

Doubles

No. 1 - Brian Ly/Johannes Spangenberg (UAB) def. Stephan Bruwer/Andrey Yesipov (UTM) 8-7

No. 2 - Tyrone Ewels/Slawomir Szeremeta (UAB) def. Aldredo Krywacz/Christian Slabbert (UTM) 9-7

No. 3 - Dan Cornei/Alex Emery (UAB) def. Matthew Harris/Stewart McRae (UTM) 8-1

Singles

No. 1 - Spangenberg (UAB) def. Bruwer (UTM) 6-4, 6-2

No. 2 - Cornei (UAB) def. Yesipov (UTM) 6-2, 6-0

No. 3 - Krywacz (UTM) def. Szeremeta (UAB) 6-3, 6-0

No. 4 - Ewels (UAB) def. Slabbert (UTM) 6-1, 6-2

No. 5 - Ly (UAB) def. Petr Markov (UTM) 6-0, 6-0

No. 6 - Thomas Petrich (UAB) def. McRae (UTM) 6-3, 7-6 (5)