Air Force Academy
UMKC
Falcons Win Final Home Match, 6-1, Over UMKC
3/22/2008 12:00:00 AM | Men's Tennis
March 22, 2008
The Air Force men's tennis team won its final home match of the 2008 season Saturday morning, defeating UMKC, 6-1, at the Academy. With the victory, AFA improved to 10-8 overall this season and finished with an 8-5 record at home.
The Falcons won two of the three doubles matches to earn a 1-0 lead. Sophomore Brett Rodgers and freshman Taylor Soster continued their outstanding play at the No. 1 singles spot, edging Patrick Smith and Serge Ristivojevic, 9-8 and 7-3 in the tiebreaker. Sophomore Mike Gies and freshman Johnny Buckingham won at No. 3, 8-4, over Nick Patonai and Nick Mader.
The Falcons kept the momentum through singles play, winning five of the six matches, three of them in straight sets. Rodgers led it off with a convincing, 6-2, 6-4, victory over Ristivojevic at No. 1, while sophomore Austin Francis won a thrilling 6-4, 6-7, 6-4 decision over Smith at No. 2.
Soster increased his winning streak to seven with a 6-4, 6-1 win over Erwin Quintanilla at No. 3. Freshman Alex Beaussart downed Mader, 6-3, 6-3, at the No. 5 spot and Gies defeated Patonai, 6-3, 6-7, (11-9) at No. 6.
Dennis Schwartz earned UMKC's lone point with a 6-1, 7-5, victory over Buckingham at the No.4 position.
Air Force opens Mountain West Conference action on Thursday, March 27 against TCU in Las Vegas, Nev., beginning at 2 p.m. (PT).
Air Force 6, UMKC 1
Saturday, March 22, 2008
Air Force Academy
Singles
Brett Rodgers (AF) def. Serge Ristivojevic, 6-2, 6-4
Austin Francis (AF) def. Patrick Smith, 6-4, 6-7 (3), 6-4
Taylor Soster (AF) def. Erwin Quintanilla, 6-4, 6-1
Dennis Schwartz (UMKC) def. Johnny Buckingham, 6-1, 7-5
Alex Beaussart (AF) def. Nick Mader, 6-2, 6-3
Mike Gies (AF) def. Nick Patonai, 6-3, 6-7 (1), 1-0 (9)
Doubles
Rodgers/Soster (AF) def. Smith/Ristivojevic, 9-8 (3)
Quintanilla/Schwarz (UMKC) def. Francis/Beaussart, 8-6
Gies/Buckingham (AF) def. Patonai/Mader, 8-4
Players Mentioned
