May 13, 2011

Altamonte Springs, FL – No. 10 Columbus State men's tennis lost a heartbreaking match against No. 2 Valdosta State 5-3 in the NCAA semifinal round for the chance to compete in the 2011 Championship match. It is the second consecutive season that Valdosta State has denied the Cougars the opportunity to play for their first championship in program history. Columbus State ends their remarkable season with a 19-5 record while VSU will continue on with a 20-1 mark.

In doubles action, CSU took two of the matches to gain the lead in the match. At third doubles, Andre Mordhorst and Pasqual Duttlinger were dominant once again as they defeated Bernhard Wallner and Konstantin Kutschenko 8-1. The Cougar tandem now have a record of 15-2 this season and have won five matches in a row. The Blazers struck back at second doubles as Philip Pakebusch and Luis Loeffiier edged past Filip Cojbasic and Martin Shishkov 8-6. In an all-important match and a battle of top five doubles pairs, No. 4 Christophe Noblet and Gordan Divljak took down No. 2 Daniel Dueren and Christian Hansen 8-6. Noblet and Divkjak have now defeated the top two doubles pairs in the nation.

In singles action, Valdosta State wasted no time in tying the match up at two all as No. 19 Daniel Dueren took down Gordon Divljak in straight sets 6-1, 6-3. VSU jumped out ahead of the Cougars for the first time on the day after the Blazers victory in fifth singles. In that match, Konstantin Kutschenko won the match over Martin Shishkov 6-3, 6-3. Hendrik Paetzel continued his clutch work in the NCAA Championship as he won he second consecutive match at sixth singles over Otto Lenhart 6-2, 7-5.

The Blazers took the important 4-3 lead after their top singles player, No. 3 Philip Pakebusch, defeated Christophe Noblet at first singles 6-2, 6-4. In the decisive match, No. 28 Christian Hansen defeated Pasqual Duttlinger at third singles.  Duttlinger won the first set 6-3 and lost a close tiebreaker in the second set 7-4. In the all-deciding third set, Hansen built an early led on Duttlinger as the Cougar could not battle back and lost 6-1 allowing the Blazers to continue on the  title match.

At fourth singles, Andre Mordhorst battled into a third set with Luis Loeffler to keep the Cougars alive in the match when play was called off. Mordhorst lost the first set 6-3 but rebounded to win the second set 6-2. In the third set, the Cougar was trailing 4-3 when play was called.


Singles
1. #3 Philip Pakebusch (VSU) def. #31 Christophe Noblet (CSU)  – 6-2, 6-4
2. #19 Daniel Dueren (VSU) def. Gordan Divljak (CSU) – 6-1, 6-3
3. #28 Christian Hansen (VSU) def. Pasqual Duttlinger (CSU) – 3-6, 7-6 (7-4), 6-1
4. Andre Mordhorst (CSU) vs. #29 Luis Loeffler (VSU) – 3-6, 6-2, 3-4 unfinished
5. Konstantin Kutschenko (VSU) def. Martin Shishkov (CSU)  – 6-3, 6-3
6. Hendrik Paetzel (CSU) def. Otto Lenhart (VSU) – 6-2, 7-5

Doubles
1. #4 Noblet and Divljak (CSU) def. #2 Dueren and Hansen (VSU) – 8-6
2. #12 Pakebusch and Loeffiier (VSU) def. Filip Cojbasic and Shishkov (CSU) - 8-6
3. Duttlinger and Mordhorst (CSU) def. Bernhard Wallner and Kutschenko (VSU) - 8-1