 |
 Coach Nelson and Jordan Snyder, who was recognized on Senior Day along with Stanislas Rodier. |
|
April 22, 2012
By Tyler Wooten
SIUSalukis.com
CARBONDALE, Ill. -- The Southern Illinois men's tennis team fell to Illinois State 4-3 Sunday at University Courts on Senior Day in yet another close conference match.
The Salukis (8-13, 2-3 MVC) enter a three-way tie for third place in the final Missouri Valley standings with Bradley and Illinois State after the loss to the Redbirds (8-13, 2-3 MVC). Southern will most likely take the fifth seed in next week's conference tournament after the tiebreaker is applied, and ISU should claim No. 4.
Knowing a third seed was on the line, the Salukis and Redbirds played into three third sets, two tiebreaks and three extra points in singles and doubles combined in an extremely hard-fought match.
Once again, the doubles point became crucial. With one match apiece to both Southern and ISU, favor looked toward the Salukis at No. 3 doubles where juniors Badr Cherradi and Jordan Snyder were up 4-1 on ISU's Jordan Badenko and Skip Span. The Redbirds stormed back, however, and the match ended up being decided in an extra point, 9-7 to the Redbirds.
In singles, the Salukis quickly tied the score with senior Stanislas Rodier's 6-2, 6-3 victory over ISU's Span at No. 2, but the Redbirds quickly recaptured the lead 3-1 after defeating Southern's Orhan Spahic and Szymon Opieczonek at Nos. 4 and 6, respectively.
After Brandon Florez took down ISU's Jusso Ojanen 3-6, 6-3 retired, it was down to Cherradi and sophomore Rafael Cuadrillero at Nos. 1 and 5 to secure Saluki victory and a No. 3 seed. Both Cuadrillero and Cherradi played into third sets, but the decision and Redbird victory came at No. 4 where Cuadrillero fell 6-3, 6-7 (5), 1-6, after forcing a tiebreak in the second set.
|
|
 |
Stan Rodier and Jordan Snyder were also recognized before play began as the team's two seniors -- Snyder being an academic senior in his third year of Saluki Tennis.
"I'm really proud of these two guys, and I'm proud to be their coach," Nelson said. "The end of the season is too soon for these two seniors."
The Salukis will play in the Missouri Valley Conference tournament at Creighton in Omaha, Neb., starting next Friday.
Singles:
1. Badr Cherradi (SIU) def. Tuomas Manner (ILS) 2-6, 7-6 (7-3), 7-5
2. Stanislas Rodier (SIU) def. Skip Span (ILS) 6-2, 6-3
3. Brandon Florez (SIU) def. Juuso Ojanen (ILS) 3-6, 6-3, retired
4. Muddappa Appanervand (ILS) def. Orhan Spahic (SIU) 6-1, 6-4
5. Willi Peter (ILS) def. Rafael Cuadrillero (SIU) 3-6, 7-6 (7-5), 6-1
6. Jordan Badenko (ILS) def. Szymon Opieczonek (SIU) 7-5, 6-1
Doubles:
1. Tuomas Manner/Alexander Pelaez (ILS) def. Brandon Florez/Stanislas Rodier (SIU) 8-6
2. Szymon Opieczonek/Orhan Spahic (SIU) def. Muddappa Appanervand/Willi Peter (ILS) 8-6
3. Jordan Badenko/Skip Span (ILS) def. Badr Cherradi/Jordan Snyder (SIU) 9-7
