Thursday, April 21, 2011


McCormick, Altizer and Apps wrap up BC careers at the SAC tournament

Rock Hill, S.C. - No. 2 Anderson clawed their way back to sweep all three doubles matches and though Brevard’s Scott McCormick and Beau Wills took matches in singles play, the Trojans advanced to the 2011 Food Lion South Atlantic Conference Finals on Friday afternoon after their 5-2 victory.

Jerome Branker and Trey Halbauer topped Jarred Fisher and Shane Apps on court no. 3 to open singles action as the Trojans struck first blood in the match, winning 8-4. Brevard held the advantage in both no. 1 and no. 2 doubles, but Anderson was able to rally back, winning both in tiebreakers as Stan Atema and Daniel Gonzalez handed McCormick and Wills their first doubles loss in the 2011 conference season, 9-7 (7-4) and Deni Mehagic and Ilya Zakharov topped Sam MacNeil and Cole Altizer, 9-7 (7-0) to put Anderson up 3-0 after doubles competition.

In singles play, McCormick avenged a loss to Atema earlier in the season, winning on court no. 1, 6-1, 6-2 to give Brevard their first point of the match. Wills followed shortly after with a 6-0, 6-3 straight sets win over Zakharov on court no. 3 to pull the Tornados back within 3-2.

However, Halbauer put the Trojans within one point of clinching with his 6-0, 7-5 victory on court no. 5 and Gonzalez clinched the match for Anderson on court no. 4, defeating Altizer 6-1, 7-5.

The loss likely ends the Tornados season with a 14-8 record and marks the final contest for Brevard’s Scott McCormick, Cole Altizer and Shane Apps. Although the three seniors move on to bigger and better things, the future looks bright for Coach Bumgarner and the men’s tennis program as they return a pair of All-Conference performers in Beau Wills and Sam MacNeil as Brevard will look to return again to the postseason in the 2012 season.

Singles competition
1. Scott McCormick (BCM) def. Stan Atema (AUM) 6-1, 6-2
2. Deni Mehagic (AUM) vs. Sam MacNeil (BCM) 4-6, 5-4, unfinished
3. Beau Wills (BCM) def. Ilya Zakharov (AUM) 6-0, 6-3
4. Daniel Gonzalez (AUM) def. Cole Alitzer (BCM) 6-1, 7-5
5. Trey Halbauer (AUM) def. Jarred Fisher (BCM) 6-0, 7-5
6. Loic Ambrose (AUM) vs. Shane Apps (BCM) 4-1, unfinished

Doubles competition
1. Stan Atema/Daniel Gonzalez (AUM) def. Scott McCormick/Beau Wills (BCM) 9-7 (7-4)
2. Deni Mehagic/Ilya Zakharov (AUM) def. Sam MacNeil/Cole Alitzer (BCM) 9-7 (7-0)
3. Jerome Branker/Trey Halbauer (AUM) def. Jarred Fisher/Shane Apps (BCM) 8-4