Friday, April 20, 2007

Johnson City, Tenn. - The No. 5 seed Jacksonville Dolphins survived a comeback bid by the No. 4 seed Gardner-Webb Bulldogs and advanced to the semifinals with a 4-3 victory.

The Dolphins took the doubles point with victories by their No. 1 and No. 2 doubles teams (8-4, 8-6). Jacksonville then won two of the first three singles matches completed to jump out to a 3-1 lead. Gardner-Webb won the next two matches completed to tie the match at three a piece. The deciding match was a classic.

Francisco Riveroll of Jacksonville outlasted Gardner-Webb's Roberto Vasques in a 3-setter under the lights. Riveroll won 6-3, 2-6, 7-6(7-5). The tiebreaker was tied at 5-5, before Riveroll tallied the final two points for the deciding match. After the final point, Riveroll;s teammates stormed the court to congratulate him on his three-set win.

Jacksonville advances to face the No. 1 seed ETSU Buccaneers at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday.

Doubles
No. 1 Riveroll/Ramos (JU) def. Slesarev/Veiga (GWU) - 8-4
No. 2 Vaz/Ballester (JU) def. Ellis/Ferrier (GWU) - 8-6
No. 3 Vasques/Van Rensburg (GWU) vs. Oliveira/Craveiro (JU) - DNF

Singles
No. 1 Evgeny Slesarev (GWU) def. Jordi Ballester (JU) - 6-4, 6-1
No. 2 Francisco Riveroll (JU) def. Roberto Vasques (GWU) - 6-3, 2-6, 7-6(7-5)
No. 3 Ernesto Ramos (JU) def. Gabe Veiga (GWU) - 6-0, 6-2
No 4 Victor Vaz (JU) def. Kim Ellis (GWU) - 6-3, 6-4
No 5 Grant Van Rensburg (GWU) def. Marcos Oliveira (JU) - 6-4, 6-2
No 6 Rafael Altmeyer (GWU) def. Vinicius Craveiro (JU) - 6-3, 6-4