Colorado University Athletics
Buffs Fall Short At No. 39 W&M, 5-2
March 28, 2003
WILLIAMSBURG, Va. - The Colorado men's tennis gave a gallant effort, however, succumbed in the later stages of the match, this time to No. 39 William & Mary, 5-2, Friday afternoon at the Busch Tennis Courts.
The Buffs (2-12) playing their eighth nationally ranked opponent this season, dropped its fourth straight match and fell to 2-12 on the season, while the Tribe won its fifth straight and improved to 13-6. It was also the first-ever match between the two schools.
CU started the match with an upset and on its mind taking two of three doubles points and 1-0 lead. Senior Justin Hunter and freshman Chad Tsuda won their sixth match in nine tries winning the No. 1 doubles position, 8-4 and at No. 3, freshman Marko Bundalo and sophomore Jon Magnes won an exciting 9-8(4) decision.
With a 1-0 lead, the home team quickly regained the advantage winning two singles matches and taking a 2-1 lead. Freshman Stephen Ward led off by winning his 12th consecutive singles match, defeating Chad Tsuda at No. 5, 6-2, 6-3; and junior Jeff Kader gave the Tribe its second point with an upset win at No. 2, defeating 98th-ranked Justin Hunter, 6-4, 6-4.
The Buffs responded by tying the score at two with a win at the fourth singles slot as junior Bucky Mink took a straight-set victory over Alex Fish, 7-6, 6-1.
At No. 1 singles, sophomore and 2002 Colonial Athletic Association Co-Rookie of the Year Sean Kelleher put the Tribe one point away from victory, as he upset No. 101 Maciej Dilaj, 6-3, 7-6 (6). With a 3-2 advantage, W&M's Geoff Russell clinched the team victory at No. 3, defeating Marko Bundalo, 6-1, 3-6, 6-4. Sophomore Zack Malmgren closed out the final team margin at No. 6 by bouncing back after dropping his first set to eventually defeat Jon Magnes, 4-6, 7-5, 6-3.
"I'm proud of the team's effort and it took about four hours for William & Mary to beat us," said CU head coach Sam Winterbotham. "William & Mary went for their shots and we didn't. We just don't have that killer instinct and confidence to go for it.
"Bucky Mink made his shots and he won," said Winterbotham. "I'm also pleased with Jon (Magnes) and Marko (Bundalo) at No. 3 doubles. We came out and beat a well-coached doubles team."
It was also first match in a few years that the Tribe rallied to win after losing the doubles point.
Colorado continues its longest road trip of the season by traveling to Wichita State on Sunday, March 30. CU will take to the road three more times in the next two weeks with trips to Nebraska (April 4), Denver (April 8) and Rice (April 13) before returning home to close out the Big 12 regular season against Oklahoma (April 19) and Oklahoma State (April 20).
#39 William & Mary 5, Colorado 2
Singles: 1) Sean Kelleher (W&M) def. #101 Maciej Dilaj 6-3, 7-6 (6); 2) Jeff Kader (W&M) def. #98 Justin Hunter 6-4, 6-4; 3) Geoff Russell (W&M) def. Marko Bundalo 6-1, 3-6, 6-4; 4) Bucky Mink (CU) def. Alex Fish 7-6, 6-1; 5) Stephen Ward (W&M) def. Chad Tsuda 6-2, 6-3; 6) Zack Malmgren (W&M) def. Jon Magnes 4-6, 7-5, 6-3.
Doubles: 1) Hunter/Tsuda (CU) def. Kelleher/Ward 8-4; 2) Fish/Russell (W&M) def. Dilaj/Mink 8-5; 3) Bundalo/Magnes (CU) def. Kader/Malmgren 9-8 (4).