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Photos

Valdosta State’s Dominique Rothlaender returns the ball against North Alabama in a doubles match with teammate Tina Trautmann Friday at the VSU tennis courts during the NCAA regional. Rothlaender and Trautmann won their match, 9-7.
Pat Gallagher/The Valdosta Daily Times /

Valdosta State freshman Tina Trautmann returns the ball during a doubles math with teammate Dominique Rothlaender Friday at the VSU tennis courts during the Lady Blazers’ 5-0 win over North Alabama in the Division II South regional final.
Pat Gallagher/The Valdosta Daily Times /

Valdosta State’s Richard Malobicky returns the ball during the Blazers’ 5-0 sweep of Delta State Friday during the NCAA South Regionals.
Pat Gallagher/The Valdosta Daily Times /

Valdosta State’s Leos Jelinek returns the ball against Delta State in a singles match Friday at the VSU tennis courts during the Division II South Regional.
Pat Gallagher/The Valdosta Daily Times /

Valdosta State’s Richard Malobicky reaches to return the ball against Delta State in a singles match Friday at the VSU tennis courts during the Division II South Regionals.
Pat Gallagher/The Valdosta Daily Times /

Published May 10, 2008 01:53 am - Valdosta State’s tennis teams are going back to nationals.

VSU tennis teams going back to nationals

By Christian Malone

VALDOSTA — Valdosta State’s tennis teams are going back to nationals.

The Blazers swept Delta State 5-0 in the NCAA South region finals. The Lady Blazers also pulled off a sweep, defeating North Alabama 5-0.

With the wins, both VSU tennis squads will play in the Division II national tournament, which begins Wednesday in Houston, Texas.

Valdosta State’s men got their sweep started with three doubles wins. Joerg Ekkenga and Leos Jelinek, Division II’s top doubles team, downed Pascal LaPlace and Rafael Weigard 8-0. Florian Halb and Richard Malobicky topped Kirill Pervoun and Julien Beckensteiner 8-3 at No. 2 doubles, while Otto Lenhart and Michael Kuech claimed an 8-2 victory over Thiago Marion and Felipe Fonseca at No. 3.

Valdosta State closed out the match with a pair of straight set victories in singles action. Kuech defeated Marion 6-0, 6-1 at No. 5 singles, while Ben Cattan downed Fonseca by the same 6-0, 6-1 score at No. 6.

This will be the Blazers’ sixth trip to nationals in the last eight years. Valdosta State won the national championship in 2006, and finished second in both 2004 and 2007.

The Blazers begin the nationals at 2:30 p.m. Wednesday, when they play the winner of Friday’s Bloomsburg-Bryant match.

Valdosta State’s women were just as dominant Friday.

The Lady Blazers won their seventh straight match, defeating North Alabama 5-0 in the South regional finals at the VSU tennis courts.

The Lady Blazers also opened the match by winning all three doubles matches, including a come-from-behind victory at No. 1 doubles. Phillipa Reakes and Jessica Strucher jumped out to a 7-4 advantage at No. 1, before Dominique Rothlaender and Tina Trautmann staged their comeback. Rothlaender and Trautmann won the next five games, and eventually claimed a 9-7 win.

Things were easier for Valdosta State at No. 2 and No. 3 doubles. Raphaelle Durante and Karine Redon swept Yuliya Zelenskaya and Louise Klasen 8-0, while Natali Gumbrecht and Hollie Bees downed Mallory Waites and Arrie Moore 8-1.

Reakes jumped out to a 2-0 lead over Rothlaender at No. 1 singles, before being forced to retire, giving VSU its fourth win of the match. Redon closed out the match with a 6-0, 6-0 victory over Moore at No. 6.

The victory propels the Lady Blazers into their fifth straight NCAA championship appearance.