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April 19, 1998
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. -- Bruce Li defeated Roberto Bracone in a tie breaker in the third set of the final match on the court to clinch Clemson's 4-3 college tennis victory over NC State on Sunday afternoon. The match was played at an indoor facility in Chapel Hill due to inclement weather.
Clemson improved to 11-15 overall, 3-5 in the ACC. It was the final regular season match for Chuck Kriese's Tigers prior to next weekend's ACC Tennis Tournament. Clemson is the defending champion.
Li and Bracone had a marathon match, as all three sets went to tie-breakers. Li, the MVP of the ACC Tournament last year, won the tie-breaker 10-8 in the third set to give Clemson the team victory.
Li, Darren Knight and Brad Emerdorfer won in singles and doubles play to pace the Tigers to the victory. Emerdorfer and Knight both won singles matches in straight sets. The former defeated Jeff Smith, 6-4, 6-1 and Knight downed Shaun Thomas 7-6, 7-6.
Clemson won two of the three doubles matches to gain the first point of the match. Li and Pablo Bellagamba defeated Roberto Bracone and Eric Jackson, 8-2 at the number-one doubles point.
NC. State won two singles matches in three sets to tie the score at three. Keith Salmon and Demong Desai captured those three-set matches, but Li came through in the clutch to give Clemson the team victory.
Clemson 4, NC State 3 Singles: Bruce Li (C) d. Roberto Bracone (NCS) 7-6, 6-7, 7-6 (10-8) Eric Jackson (NCS) d. Pablo Bellagama (C) 7-6, 6-3 Keith Salmon (NCS) d. Josh Goffi (C) 6-4, 4-6, 6-1 Brad Emerdorfer (C) d. Jeff Smith (NCS) 6-4, 6-1 Darren Knight (C) d. Shaun Thomas (NCS) 7-6, 7-6 Demong Desai (NCS) d. Joey Hopke (C) 3-6, 6-3, 6-4Doubles: Li-Bellagamba (C) d. Bracone-Jackson (NCS) 8-2 Knight-Emerdorfer (C) d. Smith-Salmon (NCS) 8-3 Thomas-Desai d. Goffi-Sardon Barth (C) 8-6
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