NEW ORLEANS — LSU’s doubles team of Kevin Dessauer and Jan Zelezny were eliminated from the SEC Coaches’ Indoor Championships in the quarterfinals Sunday afternoon at the Health Club at the Hilton. The LSU duo lost a hard-fought match to Georgia’s Jamie Hunt and Nate Schnugg, 8-6.
Dessauer and Zelezny upset the No. 4-ranked doubles team on Saturday to reach the quarterfinals.
“We got what we needed out of this event,” LSU head coach Jeff Brown said. “Everybody was able to see the level of competition we will face in this conference. Everybody’s eyes are wide open and they understand how hard we have to work before the SEC season begins. We are excited to get back to the practice courts and prepare for the dual season.”
Dessauer and Zelezny held an early 3-2 lead in their quarterfinals match but the Georgia tandem quickly responded by winning three straight games to go ahead 5-3. Neither team could break the other the rest of the way as the Bulldogs won the match by an 8-6 score.
Ole Miss shined on the third day of the tournament. Rebel Jonas Berg won the singles “B” draw after he defeated Georgia’s Christian Vitulli in the finals, 6-2, 6-7 (9), 6-4.
Ole Miss represents both doubles teams that reached the finals of the doubles draw. The Rebel tandems of Bram ten Berge and Matthias Wellermann, and Jakob Klaeson and Robbye Poole will play the final doubles match later this week in Oxford, Miss.
In the singles “A” draw, Georgia’s Luis Flores and Mississippi State?s Ivan Bjelica survived the 32-man tournament that featured 14-nationally ranked players to reach the finals. Flores and Bjelica will square off Monday at 10 a.m to close out the indoor tournament.
The Tigers will open the dual season Tuesday, Jan. 29, against Southern Miss and Southern at the W.T. “Dub” Robinson Tennis Stadium.
SEC Coaches’ Indoor Championships
New Orleans, La.
January 18-21, 2007
Sunday, Jan. 20 Results
Quarterfinals
(6) Jamie Hunt/Nate Schnugg (UGA) def. Kevin Dessauer/Jan Zelezny (LSU), 8-6
(tournament seed)