By Lauren-Nicole Altaffer
On Wednesday February 6th 2013 Samford University Men’s Tennis Team made history. Samford headed to Tuscaloosa for a matchup with
The University Alabama number 52 in the nation. The Samford bulldogs took down the tide.
Bulldogs earn their first win over Alabama In 51 years.
In just its third match of the young 2013 spring season, Samford
University Men's Tennis Team knocked off a ranked opponent on the road. The
Bulldogs registered a historic 4-3 victory against the number 52 Alabama
Crimson Tide at the Roberta Alison Baumgardner Tennis Facility.
With the triumph, Samford 2-1 in their season ended a 31-match
losing streak against Alabama 7-2 in their season. Samfords losing streak
against Alabama dates all the way back to May 5, 1961, when the school was
named Howard College. Therefore, it was the Bulldogs' first win over the
Crimson Tide in nearly 52 years.
“I am extremely proud of our team today," said Samford head
coach Rahim Esmail. "I am happy
that we were able to get this win, but I am also proud of the way we fought and
competed tonight. Win or lose, every single person on our team put in a gutsy
performance and left it all out there. Alabama is a very good team, and is very
well coached. We had to come up with some of our best tennis today to get this
win."
Despite losing the doubles point, Samford pulled out
four key victories in singles to earn the momentous 4-3 team win. Austin Akers and Zac Dunkle quickly set the
tone in singles by flying into straight-set victories on courts Number five and
Number one.
Samford's third key victory in singles play occurred on court Number
two where junior Elliot Barnwell overcame a 6-0
loss in the first set to come back for a 0-6, 6-4, 6-4
triumph against Alabama's Becker O'Shaughnessey. Barnwell, the Bulldogs'
talented native of the United Kingdom, moved to 1-2 in singles play
this season.
The Samford University men's tennis team will next be in action this
Saturday February 24th at 10 a.m. The Bulldogs versus Kentucky in a
nonconference duel, held at the Samford University Tennis Complex.
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