ASU Netters Clip Columbus State

COLUMBUS, Ga. -- Augusta State vaulted out to a big lead, gave it all back, and then rallied for a dramatic 5-4 victory over Columbus State in the third round of the NCAA Southeast Regional at the Mary V. Blackmon Tennis Center on the CSU campus.

With the victory, the sixth-seeded and 12th-ranked Jaguars (17-9) equaled their most wins in a season since 2007 and also earned a trip to the Round of 16 in Louisville, Ky. The Cougars, ranked No. 8 in the nation and seeded No. 2 in the regional, saw their season come to an end at 23-4.

ASU returns to action May 16-19 at the NCAA National Championships at the Top Gun Tennis Academy in Louisville, Ky., as a part of the 2012 NCAA DII Spring Championship Festival.

The Jags' No. 1 doubles team of Bernardo Fernandes and Henrique Boturao put ASU on the board with an 8-5 victory. The Victors – Cabellos and Guimaraes – won 8-3 at No. 2 and when Jenner Stevenson and Jan Labas claimed an 8-3 win at No. 3 doubles, the Jags were staked to a 3-0 lead heading into singles.

The Cougars clawed back in the match, pulling even at 3-all with wins at No. 4, No. 3 and No. 6 singles. Fernandes put ASU back in front with a straight sets win (6-3, 6-2) at No. 1 singles before CSU's Gordan Divljak knotted the match at 4-all with a win at No. 2 singles over the Jags' Boturao.

Down to the final match, ASU's Guimaraes battled back from a 6-0 loss in the first set to win 7-5, 6-3 and send the Jags to their first trip to the NCAA Championships.

2012 NCAA Southeast Regional -- Third Round
No. 12 Augusta State 5, No. 8 Columbus State 4
Sunday, April 29, 2012
Columbus, Ga. (Mary V. Blackmon Tennis Center)

Singles competition

1. #31 Bernardo Fernandes (ASU) def. #23 Olivier Simonet (CSU) 6-3, 6-2

2. #48 Gordan Divljak (CSU) def. Henrique Boturao (ASU) 2-6, 6-2, 6-0

3. Quentin Rayniere (CSU) def. Victor Cabellos (ASU) 6-3, 6-2

4. Martin Shishkov (CSU) def. Jan Labas (ASU) 6-4, 6-0

5. Victor Guimaraes (ASU) def. Michael Trebuhov (CSU) 0-6, 7-5, 6-3

6. Danilo Sardelli (CSU) def. Jenner Stevenson (ASU) 6-4, 2-6, 6-0

Doubles competition

1. #21 Bernardo Fernandes/Henrique Boturao (ASU) def. Q. Rayniere/G. Divljak (CSU) 8-5

2. Victor Cabellos/Victor Guimaraes (ASU) def. #6 O. Simonet/M. Shishkov (CSU) 8-3

3. Jenner Stevenson/Jan Labas (ASU) def. Adi Malicbegovic/M. Trebuhov (CSU) 8-3

Match Notes

Augusta State 17-9; National ranking #12; Regional ranking #6

Columbus State 23-4; National ranking #8; Regional ranking #2

Order of finish: Doubles (1,2,3); Singles (4,3,6,1,2,5)

T - 4:22