Huskers Play Well in Opener

Lincoln -- The <?xml:namespace prefix="st1" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"?>Nebraska men’s tennis team opened the 2004 fall season Friday with tournament play in Lincoln, Neb., in the Nebraska Invitational.  After coming off of a 9-13 spring campaign, the Huskers found success early.

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Coach McDermott was pleased the performance of his Huskers today.

 

“We had a good day,” McDermott said.  “I felt good about the match.  We were able to dictate the points.  We tried to play as many guys as we could.  Overall, we had a good day.”

 

In the first of two singles competitions of the day, Nebraska defeated Drake in four out of five matches, including Gerhard Posch’s first victory of the season at the No. 1 singles slot over Sergi Vila of Drake, 6-3, 6-1.  Three other Huskers defeated Drake in two sets each, with Adrian Szatmary winning over Jack Frankowics (6-3, 6-4) in No. 2 singles slot.  At No. 3 Joerg Barthel defeated Daliber Pavic, 7-6, 7-5, and James Clow made quick work of Chris Lueth at the No. 5 slot after a close first set (7-6, 6-2).

 

Nebraska’s lone loss in singles play against Drake came when Marcus Karner fell to Jonathan Tishler.  Karner battled back after losing the first set, 1-6, to tie the match up recording a 7-5 victory, but could not keep his momentum before falling 10-4 in the Huskers only singles tiebreaker of the day.

 

In the second singles match, Nebraska dominated Wisconsin, defeating the Badgers in five out of six match.  At the No. 1 singles slot, Posch finished the opening day undefeated, winning 6-4, 7-6 over Jeremy Sonkin.  In other play, No. 2 Szatmary defeated Steve Guntly in straight sets, 6-4, 6-3, No, 4 Rivera battles back after dropping the second set to win 6-4, 6-7, 10-4, No. 5 Clow over Mike Goodman (6-3, 6-2), No. 6 Karner defeated Lachezar Kasarov (6-3, 6-4).

 

In doubles play, the Huskers also came away victorious over Denver.  Two out of three pairs of Huskers won, with the No. 1 doubles combination of Posch and Jose Rivera defeating Adam Holmstrom and Niklas Persson  (8-3), the No. 3 team of Clow and Karner avenging Karner’s singles loss with a victory over Ryan Slemons and P.J. McGinnis (8-1).

 

At the No. 2 double slot, the Huskers suffered their only loss when Szatmary and Karl Jones fell to Karl Zetterholm and Jason Tan (8-4).

           

During the second doubles match, Nebraska suffered its only team loss of the day at the hands of Minnesota.  The efforts of No. 1 team of Posch and Rivera fell short in a close duel to former Husker D.J. Geatz and Adrien Debreyne (9-8).  At the No. 3 slot, the Huskers combination of Joel Reckewey and Szatmary defeated Sion Wilkins and Brian Lipinski (8-4).

 

Nebraska will return to the courts on Saturday, Sept. 25, for the second of three matches this weekend.

 

 

Nebraska Invitational (Husker results only)

Sept. 24, 2004, at Lincoln, Neb.

 

Nebraska vs. Drake

Singles

No. 1.  Posch (NU) def. Vila (DU), 6-3, 6-1

No. 2   Szatmary (NU) def. Frankowicz (DU), 6-3, 6-4

No. 3.  Barthel (NU) def. Pavic (DU), 7-6, 7-5

No. 4.  Tishler (DU) def. Karner (NU), 6-1, 5-7,(10-4)

No. 5.  Clow (NU) def. Lueth (DU), 7-6, 6-2

 

Nebraska vs. Wisconsin

No. 1.  Posch (NU) def. Sonkin (UW), 6-4, 7-6

No. 2.  Szatmary (NU) def. Guntly (UW), 6-4, 6-3

No. 3.  Bellido (UW) def. Barthel (NU), 5-7, 6-2, (10-7)

No. 4.  Rivera (NU) def. Raemisch (UW), 6-4, 6-7, (10-4)

No. 5.  Clow (NU) def. Kasarov (UW), 6-3, 6-4 

 

Nebraska vs. Denver

Doubles

No. 1.  Posch/ Rivera (NU) def. Homstrom/ Persson (DU), 8-3

No. 2.  Victor Zetterholm/ Jason Tan (DU) def. Szatmary/Karl Jones (NU), 8-4                      

No. 3.  Clow/ Korner (NU) def.  Ryan Slemons/ P.J. McGinnis (DU), 8-5                               

 

Nebraska vs. Minnesota

No. 1.  Geatz/Debreyne (UW) def. Posch/ Rivera (NU), 9-8

No. 2.  Edlefsen/Pham (UW) def.  Karner/Jones (NU), 8-5

No. 3.  Reckewey/Szatmary (NU) def. Wilkins/Lipinski (UW), 8-4