April 8, 2004
SAN DIEGO -- San Diego State senior Felix Hardt continued his sensational season with an upset victory at number one singles but it was not enough as 62nd-ranked South Alabama defeated 71st-ranked San Diego State, 5-2, on Thursday afternoon at the SDSU Courts.
Hardt, ranked 44th-nationally, defeated the nation's 37th-ranked player Franticek Babej, 7-5, 2-6 and 10-6 in a third-set super-tiebreaker. The senior, who jumper from 63rd to 44th in the latest ITA singles rankings, defeated his sixth ranked opponent of the season and improved to 16-8 overall.
Unfortunately, the rest of the day did not go as well for the Aztecs.
South Alabama claimed the doubles point with a victory at number one doubles. Babej and David Kepka defeated the Aztecs top team of Ryan Redondo and Hardt, 8-7.
The Jaguars won the first three singles matches to claim the team victory. USA got straight set wins at number six, five and two singles. San Diego State won two of the final three singles matches with Hardt's win at number one and sophomore Daniel Jung's three-set victory at number four.
South Alabama improved to 13-5 with the win, while SDSU is now 8-6. The Aztecs travel to Albuquerque, to battle Mountain West Conference foes Air Force on Saturday and New Mexico on Sunday.
No. 62 South Alabama 5, No. 71 San Diego State 2
SDSU Courts; San Diego, Calif.Weather: 65 degrees, partly cloudyLength of Match: 2:21
DOUBLES -- (South Alabama wins point)No. 1 - Franticek Babej/David Kepka (USA) def. No. 40 Ryan Redondo/Felix Hardt (SDSU) - 8-7No. 2 - Markus Dickhardt/Dontia Haynes (SDSU) def. Evan Fowler/Clinton Jackson (USA) - 8-6No. 3 - Jorgen Vestli/Pavel Mazaev (USA) def. Michael Coehlo/Daniel Jung (SDSU) - 8-6Order of Finish: 2, 3, 1Clinched Point: 1
SINGLES --No. 1 - No. 44 Felix Hardt (SDSU) def. No. 37 Franticek Babej (USA) - 7-5, 2-6, (10-6)No. 2 - Clinton Jacobs (USA) def. Ryan Redondo (SDSU) - 7-5, 6-0No. 3 - Pavel Mazaev (USA) def. Markus Dickhardt (SDSU) - 7-5, 6-4No. 4 - Daniel Jung (SDSU) def. David Kepka (USA) - 6-3, 2-6, 6-2No. 5 - Evan Fowler (USA) def. Dontia Haynes (SDSU) - 6-4, 6-4No. 6 - Jorgen Vestli (USA) def. Michael Coehlo (SDSU) - 6-2, 6-2Order of Finish: 6, 5, 2, 1, 3, 4Clinched Match: 2
Records: South Alabama (13-5), San Diego State (8-6).