Huskers Fall at Oklahoma, 6-1

Norman, Okla. ? The Nebraska men’s tennis team ended the regular season with a loss to No. 62 Oklahoma, 6-1, Saturday at the OU Headington Family Tennis Center. Playing at the site of this year’s Big 12 Championships, the Huskers snapped a three-match winning streak over the Sooners to fall to 9-12 overall including an 0-7 mark in conference play while Oklahoma improved to 16-6 overall and 2-4 in Big 12 play.

“Oklahoma came up big when it needed to and was a little stronger than we are at this point,” said NU Coach Kerry McDermott. “Justin Junck and Joel Reckewey played well for us in doubles and Gerhard Posch got our only point with a good singles win. Overall, I was disappointed in the way we played, but we will continue improve and look for a better showing in the Big 12 Championships.”

Playing against its 12th ranked opponent in 21 matches this year, the Sooners got off to a quick start by earning the doubles point. OU won at the Nos. 1 and 3 doubles spots while Nebraska’s Justin Junck and Joel Reckewey picked up their fifth doubles victory of the season with an 8-4 win at the No. 2 slot over Alexei Ivanov and Matt Long.

In singles action, Gerhard Posch earned the Huskers’ lone point of the match with a 6-4, 7-6, victory over Ivanov at the No. 1 position. It was Posch’s ninth singles win of the season, putting him in a tie with Joerg Barthel and Reckewey for the team lead.

Oklahoma won the final five singles matches, including taking straight-set victories at the Nos. 2, 3, 4, and 6 slots. Freshman James Clow came the closest to picking up another point for the Huskers, as he pushed Silviu Tanasoiu to the third set before falling 6-3, 4-6, 6-4, at the No. 5 position.

The Huskers return to play at the Big 12 Championships April 23-25 in Norman.

FINAL: No. 62 Oklahoma 6, Nebraska 1
Norman, Okla. --- April 17, 2004

Doubles
No. 1    Ondrej Fukala/Tommy Garrison (OU) def. Jose Rivera/Joerg Barthel (NU), 8-3
No. 2    Joel Reckewey/Justin Junck (NU) def. Alexei Ivanov/Matt Long (OU), 8-4
No. 3    Marek Velicka/Lee Gregg (OU) def. Gerhard Posch/Ryan Jay (NU), 8-3

Singles
No. 1    Gerhard Posch (NU) def. Alexei Ivanov (OU), 6-4, 7-6
No. 2    Ondrej Fukala (OU) def. Joerg Barthel (NU), 6-2, 6-1
No. 3    Marek Velicka (OU) def. Jose Rivera (NU), 6-3, 6-2
No. 4    Tommy Garrison (OU) def. Jeff Nabity (NU), 7-5, 6-4
No. 5    Silviu Tanasoiu (OU) def. James Clow (NU), 6-3, 4-6, 6-4
No. 6    Lee Gregg (OU) def. Joel Reckewey (NU), 6-3, 6-1