Rice University
South Carolina Invitational
Knupfer Wins Flight at South Carolina
10/16/2005 12:00:00 AM | Men's Tennis
Oct. 16, 2005
COLUMBIA, S.C. -- Rice sophomore Ralph Knupfer won a pair of matches Sunday to take the South Carolina Invitational flight A-2 singles title to highlight the Owls day in Columbia, S.C., as well as at the Midland Racquet Club.
Knupfer began the day rallying from a set back to defeat Liron Strauss of Wake Forest 3-6, 6-4, 6-4. In the championship match, Knupfer blasted East Tennessee State's 6-2, 6-0 for the victory.
At Midland, senior Robert Searle, seeded second in the field and ranked 24th nationally, suffered a 6-4, 6-2 setback at the hands top-seeded and 22nd ranked Travis Helgeson of Texas.
Searle also paired with junior Ben Harknett in the Midland Racquet Club Invitational double semifinal. The duo lost to Arizona's tandem of Roger Matalonga and Daniel Andrus in a 9-8 (5) nail-biter.
Next up for the Owls is the ITA South Central Regional Championships in College Station Oct. 21-25.
