MOBILE, Ala. — Tomas Stillman posted wins in singles and doubles completion, but No. 75 South Alabama rallied from a 1-0 deficit to score a 4-2 victory on Saturday afternoon at Bruce David Lubel Memorial Tennis Courts.
Stillman teamed with Joel Rubio for an 8-5 triumph against Manuel Belda and Juan Troglia at No. 1 doubles, as the No. 47-ranked pair was victorious for the 15th time this year to counter an 8-3 win on the second court by the Jaguars' duo of Gerhard Gruindelingh and Daniel Leitner over Yannick Junger and Boburjon Kamiljanov.
With the doubles point coming down to a decision at No. 3, UTSA's tandem of Fabian Brand and Dioga Casa outlasted Shayann Vaezzadeh and Tuki Jacobs, 8-7 (7-4) to hand the Roadrunners an early 1-0 lead.
South Alabama (16-7) quickly reclaimed the lead with straight-set decisions by Troglia against Kolby Kilgo at No. 5 (6-2, 6-1) and Vaezzadeh over Harley Pearson at the sixth position (6-1, 6-0). The Jaguars increased their lead to 3-1 when Leitner posted a 6-3, 6-4 win against Junger at No. 1.
Stillman closed the gap to 3-2 with his 21st win of the season, a 6-4, 6-4 decision against Belda at No. 2. It marked the junior's eight consecutive victory and his 20th triumph in his last 21 finished contests. The Harlingen native has lost just once since the last week of January.
However, South Alabama clinched the 4-2 win with a narrow 3-6, 6-4, 6-3 win by Jacobs against Rubio on the third court.
UTSA (9-16) now will travel to Tulsa, Okla., to compete in the Conference USA Championship on April 17-20 at Case Tennis Center.
#75 South Alabama 4, UTSA 2
Doubles
1. #47 Rubio/Stillman (UTSA) def. Belda/Troglia (USA) 8-5
2. Gruindelingh/Leitner (USA) def. Junger/Kamiljanov (UTSA) 8-3
3. Brand/Casa (UTSA) def. Jacobs/Vaezzadeh (USA) 8-7 (7-4)
Singles
1. Daniel Leitner (USA) def. Yannick Junger (UTSA) 6-3, 6-4
2. Tomas Stillman (UTSA) def. Manuel Belda (USA) 6-4, 6-4
3. Tuki Jacobs (USA) vs. Joel Rubio (UTSA) 7-6 (7-0), 3-6, unfinished
4. Gerhard Gruindelingh (USA) def. Diogo Casa (UTSA) 3-6, 6-4, 6-3
5. Juan Troglia (USA) def. Kolby Kilgo (UTSA) 6-2, 6-1
6. Shayann Vaezzadeh (USA) def. Harley Pearson (UTSA) 6-1, 6-0
Order of finish: Doubles (2,1,3); Singles (5,6,1,2,4)