April 19, 2013
Rock Hill, S.C. - Top seed Coastal Carolina held off a late rally by No. 5 seed Radford Friday morning to take a 4-2 victory and reach the Championship match of the 2013 Big South Men's Tennis Tournament.
The Chanticleers (14-5) established early leads in each doubles match and held off late rallies at the first and second flights to secure the 1-0 edge. Ted Nilsson and Yusuke Kusuda claimed an 8-1 victory at No. 3 doubles over Patrick O'Keefe and Randall Carter.
At the second position, John Karle and Leo Christofides raced out to a 5-1 advantage and held on for the 8-5 triumph over Stijn Meulemans and Joe Mills to secure the doubles point.
Nilsson extended the Chants' lead to 2-0 when he defeated Mills (6-1, 6-2) at No. 4 singles. O'Keefe delivered the first point of the day for the Highlanders (8-13), retiring Hunter Whalen (6-2, 6-4) at the sixth slot.
Meulemans stretched his win streak to 14 in a row, and more importantly, tied the match at 2-all when he dispatched Christofides (7-5, 6-0) at the top flight.
However, Coastal countered with victories on courts three and five to close out the match. Garik Yedigarian handed Thomas Dehaen a 6-4, 6-1 loss at No. 3, and Matias Di Pasquale gave the Chants their fourth point with a 6-1, 7-5 victory over Carter at No. 5.
With the win, the Chanticleers advance to the championship final for the first time since 1996. Coastal will play the winner of the Presbyterian/Campbell match at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday for the 2013 Big South Men's Tennis Championship.
No. 5 Radford (2) vs. No. 1 Coastal Carolina (4)
Winthrop Memorial Tennis Courts (Rock Hill, S.C.)
Friday, April 19, 2013
Doubles Competition
1. Garik Yedigarian / Matias Di Pasquale (CCU) led Nicholas Sayer / Thomas Dehaen (RU), 7-5
2. John Karle / Leo Christofides (CCU) def. Stijn Meulemans / Joe Mills (RU), 8-5
3. Ted Nilsson / Yusuke Kusuda (CCU) def. Patrick O'Keefe / Randall Carter (RU), 8-1
Order of finish: 3, 2*
Singles Competition
1. Stijn Meulemans (RU) def. Leo Christofides (CCU), 7-5, 6-0
2. Nicholas Sayer (RU) led Yusuke Kusuda (CCU), 6-3, 5-3
3. Garik Yedigarian (CCU) def. Thomas Dehaen (RU), 6-4, 6-1
4. Ted Nilsson (CCU) def. Joe Mills (RU), 6-1, 6-2
5. Matias Di Pasquale (CCU) def. Randall Carter (RU), 6-1, 7-5
6. Patrick O'Keefe (RU) def. Hunter Whalen (CCU), 6-2, 6-4
Order of finish: 4, 6, 1, 3, 5*
Match Notes
No. 1 Coastal Carolina (14-5)
No. 5 Radford (8-13)
Time: 2:45
