Friday, April 16, 2010

DeLAND, Fla. – Top-seeded and 59th-ranked ETSU shook off a loss at the top of its singles lineup to post a 4-1 win over fourth-seeded Campbell in the semifinals of the Atlantic Sun Conference Men’s Tennis Championships at the Mandy Stoll Tennis Center on Friday. Charles Bottoni and Daniel Isaza were each double winners for the Buccaneers, who advance to the A-Sun championship match for the fourth year in a row.

Bottoni and Grega Teraz defeated Davy Sum and Dominik Kaniewski 8-3 at #1 doubles to get the Bucs off to a good start; ETSU soon clinched the doubles point when Isaza and Robin Akser put down Beto Mondini and Loukas Wallaart 8-5 on Court 3.

Campbell drew within 2-1 as Sum pulled off a 6-2, 6-1 upset win over Teraz, the nation’s 120th-ranked singles player. ETSU didn’t lose any momentum, however, as Bottoni, Isaza and Juan Ramirez brought home straight-set singles victories to vault the Bucs over the Camels and into the finals. Bottoni defeated Mondini 6-2, 6-3 on Court 3, Ramirez dropped Kaniewski 6-2, 6-4 on Court 6 and Isaza finished it out with a 6-2, 6-4 win over David Clavera on Court 4.

ETSU will take on either second-seeded host Stetson or third-seeded UNF at 10 a.m. tomorrow for the A-Sun championship and the conference’s automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. The Bucs have won three consecutive conference titles, all of them against Stetson in the finals.

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The Atlantic Sun Conference is an 11-member league committed to Building Winners for Life. The A-Sun stands for achievement with integrity in both the academic and athletic arenas, with a focus on the balance between the two for our student-athletes. Headquartered in Macon, Ga., the A-Sun boasts six of the top eight media markets in the Southeast. The A-Sun includes a blend of the most prestigious and dynamic private and public institutions in the region: Belmont University, Campbell University, East Tennessee State University, Florida Gulf Coast University, Jacksonville University, Kennesaw State University, Lipscomb University, Mercer University, University of North Florida, University of South Carolina Upstate and Stetson University.