UC-SANTA CRUZ, GUSTAVUS ADOLPHUS STAMP TICKET TO NCAA SEMIFINALS

ST. LOUIS (May 15) – Top-ranked University of California-Santa Cruz and fifth-ranked Gustavus Adolphus College stamped their tickets to the national semifinals after posting quarterfinal wins Tuesday afternoon at the 2007 NCAA Division III Men's Tennis Championship in St. Louis, Mo. UC-Santa Cruz defeated Washington University, 5-1, and Gustavus Adolphus edged Williams College, 5-4, to advance to the NCAA semifinals, which will be played at 10 a.m. Wednesday, May 16.

UC-Santa Cruz (19-5) jumped ahead of ninth-ranked Washington U. (20-5) 3-0 in doubles. After threatening weather moved competition indoors shortly after doubles play began, UC-Santa Cruz warmed back up as   Max Liberty-Point and Bryan Pybas struck first with an 8-4 win at No. 2. The Banana Slugs also prevailed 8-5 at No. 1 and 8-3 at No. 3.

In singles play, Matt Seeberger, the top-ranked player in the country, jumped ahead of WU's Charlie Cutler with a 6-2 first-set win. Cutler bounced back early in the second frame for a 4-0 edge, but Seeberger stormed back to end the match with an 7-5 win. Pybas added UC-Santa Cruz's other point, the match-clincher, with a 7-6 (1), 6-2, win at No. 3. WU freshman Danny Levy turned in an impressive performance at No. 4, posting a 6-2, 6-2 win for the Bears' only point.

In the other afternoon quarterfinal, Gustavus Adolphus (27-8) swept sixth-ranked Williams (15-7) in doubles play. While Gustavus Adolphus won No.'s 2 (8-2) and 3 (8-4) comfortably, it had to work hard for a tiebreak victory at the top spot, where GAC's Jesse Brauer and Adam Bryan held on for a 9-8 (4) win.

Gustavus Adolphus withstood a furious rally by Williams in singles action, as the Ephs won four of six singles battles. Williams' Karol Furmaga (No. 5, 6-3, 6-3) and Nick Lebedoff (No. 3, 6-3, 6-1) sparked the rally with two straight wins. At No. 1, Bryan extended GAC's lead to 4-2 with a 7-5, 6-4 win, but Rick Devlin brought Williams back to 4-3 with a 6-2, 6-2 victory at No. 6. The Ephs evened the match at 4-4 when Daniel Greenberg rallied from one set down for a 6-7 (3), 6-1, 6-2 win. In the decisive match, though, it was GAC's Mike Burdakin who mounted his own comeback win, a 5-7, 6-3, 6-3 decision.