Men's Tennis Edges Virginia Tech 4-3

Saturday, April 10

Louisville, Ky.

10:00 AM

University of Louisville

VIRGINIA TECH

April 10, 2004 | Men's Tennis

April 10, 2004

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - - The University of Louisville men's tennis team closed out the regular season by edging visiting Virginia Tech 4-3 Saturday at the Bass-Rudd Tennis Center. The win gives the Cards their second consecutive undefeated season and home and increases their home win streak to 28 matches.

U of L took the doubles point as the team of Matt Mayer and Jeremy Clark, No. 18 in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association rankings, defeated Stephane Rod and Soren Spanner 8-5 at the top seed and Damar Johnson and Jakob Gustafsson topped Andreas Lauland and Adel Abbas 8-3 at No. 2. Virginia Tech's Arvid Puranen and Brent Wilkins posted an 8-4 win over Octavian Nicodim and Mark Kennedy at the three-spot.

The Hokies picked up three singles wins as Laulund, No. 38 in the ITA singles rankings, defeated Mayer 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 at the top seed. Rod topped Jhonny Berrido 6-0, 6-4 at No. 4 and Angel Diankov defeated Clark 7-6, 6-4 at No. 6.

Louisville's Johnson registered a 6-7, 6-3, 7-6 win over Spanner at No. 3 and Gustafsson outlasted Abbas 7-6, 4-6, 7-5 at No. 5. Nicodim clinched the match for the Cardinals, edging Puranen 5-7, 7-6, 7-5 at No. 2.

"This was a great win for this group of players," said U of L head coach Rex Ecarma. "We were down so many match points, it looked like there was no way we were going to win. This was a defining moment for the team, responding under a great deal of pressure to come back to win is indicative of how our season has gone. Octavian Nicodim really came through for us today. Even though he is only 5-5, he played like he was seven feet tall. Going undefeated at home for two consecutive seasons is quite an accomplishment. Hopefully this can give us some momentum going into the Conference USA tournament."

No. 41 Virginia Tech falls to 14-8 on the season.

The Cardinals (18-7), No. 45 in the ITA rankings, will travel to Memphis for the 2004 C-USA Men's Tennis Championship April 15-18.

Singles1 - Andreas Laulund (VT) d. Matt Mayer (UL) 6-4, 3-6, 6-32 - Octavian Nicodim (UL) d. Arvid Puranen (VT) 5-7, 7-6, 7-53 - Damar Johnson (UL) d. Soren Spanner (VT) 6-7, 6-3, 7-64 - Stephane Rod (VT) d. Jhonny Berrido (UL) 6-0, 6-45 - Jakob Gustafsson (UL) d. Adel Abbas (VT) 7-6, 4-6, 7-56 - Angel Diankov (VT) d. Jeremy Clark (UL) 7-6, 6-4
Doubles1 - #18 Mayer/Clark d. Rod/Spanner (VT) 8-52 - Johnson/Clark (UL) d. Lauland/Abbas (VT) 8-33 - Puranen/Brent Wilkins (VT) d. Nicodim/ Mark Kennedy (UL) 8-4