Men's Tennis: Owls Upset at Minnesota, 4-3
4/10/2005
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. ? The Rice men?s tennis team continued its streaky play of late as number-57 Minnesota upset 30th-ranked Rice, 4-3, Sunday afternoon at the Baseline Tennis Center.
Despite opening the match losing the doubles point, the Owls did get a win at the number three doubles slot. Rice?s tandem of Ralph Knupfer and Filip Zivojinovic defeated D.J. Geatz and Pete Torgrimson 8-1. It was the pair?s second win in as many matches this season.
Down 1-0, the Owls headed to singles looking for some solid play. They received that at the two, four and six singles spots, but it wasn?t enough for the win. Robert Searle, the 25th-ranked player in the country, was upset by number-34 Avery Ticer 4-6, 7-5, 4-6, marking just his second loss in the Owls top slot.
At number two, Ben Harknett defeated Geatz 6-4, 3-6, 6-2, while Jason Mok took out Nic Edlefsen at the number four position 6-3, 6-2. It was the first win for Mok at number four. Rodrigo Gabriel defeated Brian Lipinski, 6-1, 6-1, for the Owls final point. Gabriel moves to 5-1 on the dual match season.
Rice heads home to the Lone Star state to face Texas on Friday, april 15 in Austin. Rice closes out the season April 17 at home in double header action against Southern Methodist and Abilene Christian.
No. 57 Minnesota 4, No. 30 Rice 3
Doubles
1. #36 Ticer/Debryne (UM) def. #33 Searle/Harknett (Rice) 8-5
2. Schwark/Edlefsen (UM) def. Mok/Morita (Rice) 8-5
3. Knupfer/Zivojinovic (Rice) def. Geatz/Torgrimson (UM) 8-1
Singles
1. #34 Avery Ticer (UM) def. #25 Robert Searle (Rice) 4-6, 7-5, 6-4
2. Ben Harknett (Rice) def. D.J. Geatz (UM) 6-4, 3-6, 6-2
3. Adrien Debreyne (UM) def. Filip Zivojinovic (Rice) 6-1, 6-2
4. Jason Mok (Rice) def. Nic Edlefsen (UM) 6-3, 6-2
5. Raoul Schwark (UM) def. Ralph Knupfer (Rice) 6-1, 6-3
6. Rodrigo Gabriel (Rice) def. Brian Lipinski (UM) 6-1, 6-1
- RICE OWLS -
