July 29, 2007

AUGUSTA, Ga. - The ninth-ranked USC Upstate men's tennis team won two of the three doubles matches and three singles matches, including a tough three-set victory by Sebastian Gonzales-Orbegoso, to claim a 5-2 victory over second-seeded Lander Saturday afternoon in the semifinals of the Peach Belt Conference Tournament.

The third-seeded Spartans advance to the championship match to face top-seeded and third-ranked Armstrong Atlantic State Sunday at 11:00 a.m. in Augusta.

Stefan Dumitrescu and Renzo Airaldi teamed to take an 8-6 win over Andre Ivarsson and Joakim Karlsson at the No. 1 doubles position and Sandy Franz and Javier Tori teamed to win a tense match, 9-8, at the No. 2 slot to give Upstate a 2-1 lead heading into singles play.

In singles action, Franz claimed a 7-5, 6-4 victory over Nicolas Legros at the No. 2 position, while Tori won by scores of 6-0, 6-2 at the No. 3 spot. Gonzales-Orbegoso faced off against Andre Ivarsson at the No. 4 position and, after dropping the first set 6-1, fought back to win the next two by scores of 7-5 and 6-2 to give Upstate the match and a spot in the championship match.

Match Results
USC Upstate 5, Lander 2
Singles
#2 Sandy Franz (Upstate) def. Nicolas Legros; 7-5, 6-4
#3 Javier Tori (Upstate) def. Guilherme Fonseca; 6-0, 6-2
#4 Sebastian Gonzales-Orbegoso (Upstate) def. Andre Ivarsson; 1-6, 7-5, 6-2
#5 Henrik Willers (Lander) def. Arnaldo Lovera; 6-4, 6-4
Doubles
#1 Stefan Dumitrescu/Renzo Airaldi (Upstate) def. Andre Ivarsson/Joakim Karlsson; 8-6
#2 Sandy Franz/Javier Tori (Upstate) def. Nicolas Legros/Guilherme Fonseca; 9-8
#3 Henrik Willers/T.C. Valle (Lander) def. Sebastian Gonzales-Orbegoso/Leandro Osorio; 8-5