RAMS CLAIM WVIAC MEN'S TENNIS CROWN

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- The Shepherd University men's tennis team swept all challengers en route to their third championship title in four years.

In a new team format, Shepherd came in as the number one-seeded team in the 10-team draw. The Rams had to face West Virginia State in the quarterfinals; then the University of Charleston, and finally defending champion West Liberty. The Rams won all three duals in shutout fashion. Shepherd, in fact, only dropped one single set in the entire tournament.

In Saturday's final, Shepherd took on West Liberty with a bit of revenge on its mind.

In 2004, the Hilltoppers edged Shepherd in the conference tournament despite losing the head-to-head matchup during the season. Shepherd took that particular match with a very narrow 5-4 win. In March of this year, the Rams trounced West Liberty with a 9-0 victory; followed by no closer than 8-1 and 9-0 wins over every WVIAC opponent. The conference dominance earned the number one seed for the Rams.

In Saturday's conference final between Shepherd and West Liberty, the Rams jumped out to early leads in all three doubles matches. Shepherd's number one team of Tim Halter and Brian Clarke led the way, cruising to an easy 8-2 win over Scott Bolyard and Justin Thomas. The two seniors (Halter and Clarke) also earned singles victories at the one and two positions, respectively.

The three seniors on the Rams' squad (Halter, Clarke, and Wray Sherman) have now been key members of three championship teams for Shepherd -- 2002, 2003, and 2005. Each member of this trio has surpassed the 100-match win mark and, as well, has been part of a team that has not lost a head-to-head conference match.

Clarke and Halter were also selected to the All-WVIAC team. Shepherd's Casey Moser won honors as Conference Freshman of the Year, while coach Chris Stambaugh won Coach of the Year.

As a result of winning the West Virginia Conference, the Rams receive an automatic bid to the national Division II tournament round of 64. Their first match will be held in May with exact time and location to be announced.

The Shepherd men's tennis team has now won a total of six titles in its history -- second most all-time in the WVIAC (University of Charleston, 26).

SHEPHERD 7 WEST LIBERTY 0

Singles

1. Halter d. Stubna 6-2, 6-0

2. Clarke d. Thomas 6-0, 7-5

3. Seifarth d. Bolyard 6-2, 6-1

4. suspended

5. Gomes d. Camp 6-0, 6-2

6. suspended

Doubles

1. Clarke-Halter d. Bolyard-Thomas 8-2

2. Moser - David Seifarth d. Chris Pauley - Zach Stubna 8-5

3. Sherman - Luiz Gomes d. Chad Camp - Daniel Marino 8-3

Shepherd ends season 18-3, 10-0 in WVIAC. West Liberty 11-7 overall, 9-3 WVIAC.