Huskers Season Ends With Loss To Texas A&M

<?xml:namespace prefix="st1" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"?>Norman, Okla.--- The Nebraska men’s tennis team saw its season come to an end on Friday, April 24, with a 4-1 loss to Texas A&M in the first round of the Big 12 Championship in Norman, Okla.  NU finished the year with a 16-10 overall record after going 0-6 in Big 12 regular-season play. Despite the setback Friday, the Huskers’ 16 victories on the year mark their highest total since collecting 17 wins in 1990.  <?xml:namespace prefix="o" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office"?>

 

Playing in windy conditions, the Huskers were only able to win one point on the day after dropping the doubles point. Head coach Kerry McDermott tinkered with his doubles lineup to try to collect the doubles point for the first time in eight matches.

 

The Huskers were still not able to find the success they were looking for as Calin Paar and Christopher Aumueller (NU) were defeated by No. 7 Conor Pollock and Austin Krajicek (TAMU) 8-2 at the No. 1 spot and Alexey Grigorov and Colin Hoover (TAMU) took down Benedikt Lindheim and Francois Van Impe (NU) 8-3 at the No. 3 spot to secure the doubles point.

 

In singles, senior Hendrik Stahmer (NU) collected the Huskers’ only point by defeating Grigorov 6-3, 6-2, at the No. 4 spot.  Stahmer finished the year with a team-leading 19 singles victories and a team-best 5-2 mark against Big 12 opponents. 

 

Also playing in his last match as a Husker was senior Renato Melo (NU). The Brazilian was defeated by Colin Hoover (TAMU) 6-1, 7-6, at the No. 6 spot.  Melo ended the season with a 9-5 overall record.  Rounding out the match, Lindheim (NU) was taken down by Marcus Lunt (TAMU) at the No. 5 spot 6-4, 6-1, while Calin Paar was defeated by No. 42 Wil Spencer (TAMU) 6-3, 6-3.

 

Head coach Kerry McDermott credited A&M for being more aggressive than the Huskers at certain points in the match, especially considering the weather conditions.

 

“It was a tough one. We knew we had a tough match ahead of us at the start of the day. They did a really good job of securing the doubles point, especially the No. 1 and No. 2 positions.” McDermott said.  “In singles, we thought it would be a very competitive match, and it was. Our No. 1 singles, Bendheim had an opportunity to win that before the match finished.”

 

“We stretched them out a couple matches and they played big when they needed to.  When they needed to be a more aggressive, a little smarter, they came up with the good play.  It was a tough match overall.”

 

Complete Results

NU 1, TAMU 4

Singles

No. 1 No. 19 Conor Pollock (TAMU) vs. David Bendheim (NU)-DNF

No. 2 No. 44 Austin Krajicek (TAMU) vs. No. 102 Christopher Aumueller (NU)-DNF

No. 3 No. 42 Wil Spencer (TAMU) defeated Calin Paar (NU) 6-3, 6-3

No. 4 Hendrik Stahmer (NU) defeated Alexey Grigorov (TAMU) 6-3, 6-2

No. 5 Marcus Lunt (TAMU) defeated Benedikt Lindheim (NU) 6-4, 6-1

No. 6 Colin Hoover (TAMU) defeated Renato Melo (NU) 6-1, 7-6

 

Doubles

No. 1 No. 7 Pollock/Krajicek (NU) defeated Paar/Aumueller (NU) 8-2
No. 2 Grigorov/Hoover (TAMU) defeated Lindheim/Van Impe (NU) 8-3

No. 3 Stahmer/Bendheim (NU) vs. Lunt/Spencer (TAMU)-DNF

Order of finish

Doubles (2, 1, 3DNF)

Singles (5, 3, 4, 6)