Printer-Friendly Format   E-mail this article     Freshman Clint Bowles celebrates after clinching FSU's win over South Alabama to send the team to the round of 16.
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Seminole freshman Clint Bowles clinches match as FSU advances to the final site for the second time in the history of the program.

May 11, 2008

"Two years in a row we were right there to get to the final site," FSU head coach Dwayne Hultquist said.  "I think right now we are at the stage of our program where we feel that we are top 10 in the country and I feel like something's missing if we don't make it to the final site."

Things started well for the Seminoles (21-6, 10) in doubles as they swept the Jaguars in two matches.  On court three the team of junior Drew Bailey and sophomore Brad Mixson easily dispatched of USA's Aaron Krisan and Michael O'Brien 8-1 with the duo winning the last seven games.  FSU finished doubles out on court two when senior Sam Chang and junior Maciek Sykut beat Robert Hodel and Marek Sramek 8-5.

It looked like it was going to be an easy day for Florida State after the team jumped out to a quick 3-0 lead in singles.  Mixson closed out O'Brien on court six 6-1, 6-0 winning the last 11 games of the match and on court five junior Chris Cloer defeated Krisan 6-2, 6-1 to give the Seminoles the big lead. 

"For the whole season the bottom of our lineup has been really reliable," Cloer said.  "When you go in with that mindset and have confidence in those players it certainly helps."

However, South Alabama roared back to win three consecutive matches.  On court one 34^th-ranked Jack Baker upset No. 13 sophomore Jean-Yves Aubone 6-2, 6-4 for the Jaguars first point of the match.  On court three, No. 107 Sramek defeated the 92^nd-ranked Chang 7-5, 6-3 and on court four R.J. Nagel was victorious against Sykut 6-3, 6-4 to knot that match at three.

"We talk about it all the time, but it is hard not to watch the other courts," Hultquist said.  "That happened a little bit to us today with Jean-Yves [Aubone]  and Sam [Chang]."

The match came down to No. 85 Bowles and Hodel on court number two.  Bowles won the first set 7-5 and was up 5-2 in the second, but Hodel was able to save three match points and win the last five games of the second set to even the match with a 7-5 victory.  In the third set, Bowles broke Hodel to start things off and he never looked back cruising to a 6-1 victory which set off a raucous celebration on the court.

"He [Hodel] played really well," Bowles said.  "I just tried to keep my composure and stay positive.  I just focused and played one point at a time."

"Even though he's a freshman, Clint [Bowles] can come through in the clutch," Hultquist said.  "I felt like he wasn't going to panic and he made two good adjustments in the third set.  Champions want it on their racket"

Florida State advanced to the round of 16 in 2005 for the first time in program history.  Now the Seminoles will return and hope to improve upon their quarterfinal performance three years ago.  FSU will travel to Tulsa, Okla. to compete at the NCAA Championships finals site and play its first match on Friday, May 16 at 6:00 p.m.  Visit www.seminoles.com for more information about Florida State's quest for a National Championship.

Final Score:

#14 Florida State 4 South Alabama 3

Box Score

Singles

No. 1: #34 Jack Baker (USA) def. #13 Jean-Yves Aubone (FSU) 6-2, 6-4

No. 2: #85 Clint Bowles (FSU) def. Robert Hodel (USA) 7-5, 5-7, 6-1

No. 3: #107 Marek Sramek (USA) def. #92 Sam Chang (FSU) 7-5, 6-3

No. 4: R.J. Nagel (USA) def. Maciek Sykut (FSU) 6-3, 6-4

No. 5: Chris Cloer (FSU) def.  Aaron Krisan (USA) 6-2, 6-1

No. 6: Brad Mixson (FSU) def. Michael O'Brien (USA) 6-1, 6-0

Order of finish: 6, 5, 1, 3, 4, 2

Doubles

No. 1: #15 Aubone/Bowles (FSU) vs. Baker/Nagel (USA) 6-6 DNF

No. 2: Chang/Sykut (FSU) def.  Hodel/Sramek (USA) 8-5

No. 3: Drew Bailey/Mixson (FSU) def. Krisan/O'Brien (USA) 8-1

Order of finish: 3, 2

www.seminoles.com