No. 1 Pirates Down No. 5 USC Aiken, 5-0, In Region Final

SAVANNAH, Ga. - The top-ranked and defending DII national champion Armstrong Atlantic State men's tennis squad advanced out of the Southeast Region with a 5-0 victory over No. 5 USC Aiken on Saturday afternoon, earning a spot in the NCAA Division II Men's Tennis Round of 16.

The Pirates (26-1) head to Altamonte Springs, Fla., having won 57 of their last 58 matches, a string that includes last season's DII national championship, a first for the program. USC Aiken (19-5) sees its season come to an end after achieving the highest national ranking in its program's history.

Armstrong Atlantic sprinted out to a 3-0 lead, sweeping all three doubles matches. In a clash of top 10 ranked doubles duos, No. 5-ranked Paul Bishop and Mikk Irdoja defeated No. 9-ranked Dagoberto Darezzo and Edward Horne, 8-4, at No. 1 doubles. The No. 10-ranked duo of Rafael Array and Tim Johannsen notched an 8-1 win over No. 22-ranked Filipe Garcia and Bruno Seves at No. 2 doubles, while Eudaldo Bonet and Akos Torok picked up an 8-2 win over Gregory Andrade and Christopher Kaetz at No. 3 doubles.

Singles play started with the Pirates taking all six first sets against the Pacers. Paul Fitzgerald delivered a 6-1, 6-0 win over Kaetz at No. 4 singles, then Array clinched the match with a 6-3, -2 win over Garcia at No. 5 singles. 

Armstrong Atlantic will now head to Sanlando Park with an eye on back-to-back national titles. Play begins in Altamonte Springs on Wednesday, May 13, as the Pirates take on Queens (N.Y.) in first-round action.

USC Aiken vs Armstrong Atlantic (May 09, 2009)
#1 Armstrong Atlantic 5, #5 USC Aiken 0
May 09, 2009 at Savannah, Ga. (AASU Tennis Complex)
Singles competition
1. #2 Eudaldo Bonet (AASU) vs. #6 Bruno Seves (USCA) 6-3, 2-1, unfinished
2. #23 Paul Bishop (AASU) vs. #21 Dagoberto Darezzo (USCA) 6-4, 1-0, unfinished
3. #25 Mikk Irdoja (AASU) vs. Edward Horne (USCA) 7-6 (8-6), 1-2, unfinished
4. Paul Fitzgerald (AASU) def. Christopher Kaetz (USCA) 6-1, 6-0
5. Rafael Array (AASU) def. Filipe Garcia (USCA) 6-3, 6-2
6. Tim Johannsen (AASU) vs. Gregory Andrade (USCA) 6-3, 3-2, unfinished

Doubles competition
1. #5 Paul Bishop/Mikk Irdoja (AASU) def. #9 Dagoberto Darezzo/Edward Horne (USCA) 8-4
2. #10 Rafael Array/Tim Johannsen (AASU) def. #22 Filipe Garcia/Bruno Seves (USCA) 8-1
3. Eudaldo Bonet/Akos Torok (AASU) def. Gregory Andrade/Christopher Kaetz (USCA) 8-2

Match Notes
USC Aiken 19-5; National ranking #5
Armstrong Atlantic 26-1; National ranking #1
Order of finish: Doubles (3,2,1); Singles (4,5)
2009 NCAA DII Men's Tennis Southeast Region Final
AASU advances to the Round of 16 in Altamonte Springs, Fla.
Will face Queens (N.Y.) on Wednesday, May 16