May 12, 2002

ATHENS, Ga. –
The top-ranked Georgia men’s tennis team advanced to the NCAA Championships Round of 16 in College Station, Tex., Sunday afternoon with a 4-0 win against No. 19 South Carolina in the second round of the 2002 NCAA Men’s Tennis Tournament at the Dan Magill Tennis Complex in Athens.

“We played strong today,” said Georgia head coach Manuel Diaz. “We had three weeks to prepare. Our guys have worked very hard. (South Carolina) is a good team. They were not a team that was intimidated at all and they played hard. We just played really well today.”

Georgia took the early 1-0 lead on a clear and sunny Mother’s Day in Athens by winning at Nos. 1 and 3 doubles to clinch the opening point. The 18th-ranked duo of Matias Boeker and Bo Hodge defeated Marcus Westman and Angelo Niculescu 8-3 in the top spot, while the Bulldog pair
of Nicolas Boeker and Lesley Joseph broke David Nelson and Ben Atkinson in the final game to win 8-3 at No. 3 doubles to secure the first point.

The Bulldogs got off to a good start in singles, winning the first set in five of the six matches (Joseph was still in the first set when play was suspended). Adam Seri was the first off the court and extended his win streak to eight matches as he cruised to a 6-1, 6-1 win at No. 5 over Carolina’s Carl Wermee to give Georgia a 2-0 advantage. Wagner extended the Bulldogs’ lead to 3-0 with a 6-1, 6-4 win over Angelo Niculescu at No. 2 singles. It was Wagner’s team-leading 37th win of the season.

Nicholas Boeker put the match in the books with a 6-2, 6-2 win against Atkinson at No. 6 singles to clinch the match for the Bulldogs. The three remaining singles matches were suspended once the match was clinched.

South Carolina ends the season with a record of 17-9. Carolina’s top player, Seth Rose will play in the individual portion of the NCAA Championships, slated to begin May 22 in College Station, Tex. Georgia will face the Texas A&M/LSU winner on May 18 in the Round of 16 in College Station.

No. 1 Georgia 4, No. 19 South Carolina 0

DOUBLES:
1. (18) M. Boeker/Hodge (UGA) def. Westman/Niculescu (USC), 8-3
2. Wagner/Seri (UGA) vs. Rose/Wermee (USC), 4-5, susp.
3. N. Boeker/Joseph (UGA) def. Nelson/Atkinson (USC), 8-3*

SINGLES:
1. (1) Matias Boeker (UGA) vs. (37) Seth Rose (USC), 6-3, 3-3, susp.
2. (25) Brandon Wagner (UGA) def. (68) Angelo Niculescu (USC), 6-1, 6-4
3. Bo Hodge (UGA) vs. David Nelson (USC), 7-6 (0), 5-2, susp.
4. (64) Lesley Joseph (UGA) vs. Marcus Westman (USC), 6-6, susp.
5. Adam Seri (UGA) def. Carl Wermee (USC), 6-1, 6-1
6. Nicolas Boeker (UGA) def. Ben Atkinson (USC), 6-2, 6-2*

* clinched doubles point, clinched match