May 11, 2002

ATHENS, Ga. – The 19th-ranked South Carolina Gamecocks won four singles matches to defeat Georgia Tech 4-1 in the first round of the 2002 NCAA Men’s Tennis Championships hosted by Georgia at the Dan Magill Tennis Complex in Athens. The Gamecocks will advance to Sunday’s regional final and square off against the top-seeded Bulldogs at 1 p.m.

Georgia Tech (15-11) got on the board first after clinching the doubles point by winning at Nos. 1 and 3. The Yellow Jacket duo of Roger Anderson and David Wright defeated South Carolina’s Marcus Westman and Angelo Niculescu 8-5 in the top doubles spot, and Tech clinched the match’s first point when Joao Menano and Stephen Moros topped David Nelson and Ben Atkinson 8-5 at No. 3.

South Carolina (17-8) evened the match at 1-1 when Niculescu topped Wright 6-1, 6-3 at No. 2 singles. Nelson was off the court next with a 6-4, 6-1 win against Menano at No. 4 to give the Gamecocks a 2-1 lead. South Carolina extended its lead when Wes Nott outhit Carl Wermee 6-1, 6-3 at the No. 3 position.

Georgia Tech recorded its lone singles win of the day when Anderson outlasted Rose 2-6, 6-0, 6-2 at No. 1 singles. Westman put the match in the books with a 6-4, 7-6 win against Scott Schnugg at No. 4 for the fourth and final point. Play was suspended on court 6 once the match was clinched.

“I knew (Georgia Tech) would be favored in the doubles,” said South Carolina head coach Kent DeMars. “We have won a lot of matches this year after losing the doubles point. I knew Georgia Tech would give us a tough match, and I had confidence in our ability to win singles matches. It was a team effort.”

South Carolina will face the Georgia on Sunday, May 12 at 1 p.m. at the Dan Magill Tennis Complex. Tickets are $5 for adults and $3 for students and youth.

“Georgia is so good everywhere, and if you have an opportunity, you have to take it,” added DeMars. “To beat Georgia, we have to win every point we have a chance at. They are the favorite, but I don’t think either team will be tight. They will be at home with their crowd.”

No. 19 South Carolina 4, Georgia Tech 2

DOUBLES:1. Anderson/Wright (GT) def. Westman/Niculescu (SC), 8-52. Nott/Schnugg (GT) vs. Rose/Wermee (SC), 5-4, susp.3. Menano/Moros (GT) def. Nelson/Atkinson (SC), 8-5*
SINGLES:1. (19) Roger Anderson (GT) def. (37) Seth Rose (SC), 2-6, 6-0, 6-22. (68) Angelo Niculescu (SC) def. David Wright (GT), 6-1, 6-33. David Nelson (SC) def. Joao Menano (GT), 6-4, 6-14. Marcus Westman (SC) def. Scott Schnugg (GT), 6-4, 7-6 (2)*5. Carl Wermee (SC) def. Wes Nott (GT), 6-1, 6-36. Stephen Moros (GT) vs. Rodrigo Pacheco (SC), 3-6, 7-5, 1-2, susp.
* clinched doubles point, clinched match(#) indicates individual national ranking