Men's Tennis Falls in WCC Semifinals

April 20, 2002

MORAGA, Calif. - The 57th-ranked Santa Clara University men's tennis team fell to No. 47 San Diego 4-1 in semifinal action at the West Coast Conference Championships this afternoon in Moraga.

With the loss, Santa Clara's overall record moves to 18-7. The Broncos will face fifth-seeded Loyola Marymount Sunday at 1 p.m. for third place.

The match marked the fifth straight tournament these teams have met in the semifinals, but USD avoided repeating last year's fate, taking the doubles points and then earning singles victories on courts 2, 3 and 5.

Santa Clara avoided the shutout with freshman Taylor Bedilion's come-from-behind victory at No. 6 singles. He defeated the Toreros' Ted Burghardt by a 3-6, 6-3, 6-1 score.

Once USD clinched the match, Broncos Chris Lam's and Erich Chen's matches were suspended in the third sets.

No. 47 San Diego 4, No. 57 Santa Clara 1

Singles
1. Ricardo Rizo (USD) vs. No. 104 Chris Lam (SCU) 4-6, 6-4, DNF
2. Juan Cerda (USD) def. Michael Duong (SCU) 6-2, 6-3
3. Robbie Blair (USD) def. Victor Camargo (SCU) 6-3, 6-3
4. Jason Pongsrikul (USD) vs. Erich Chen (SCU) 7-6, 5-7, DNF
5. Stephen Taylor (USD) def. Francisco Zepponi (SCU) 7-6, 6-3
6. Taylor Bedilion (SCU) def. Ted Burghardt (USD) 3-6, 6-3, 6-1

Doubles
1. Cerda/Pongsrikul (USD) def. Chen/ Rick Ruso (SCU) 8-4
2. Lam/Camargo (SCU) def. Rizo/Taylor (USD) 9-8
3. Burghardt/Blair (USD) def. Michael Bruggemann /Bedilion (SCU) 8-5