March 7, 2006
ORLANDO - The UCF men's tennis team dropped its first match since Feb. 18 on Tuesday, falling to 46th-ranked Penn, 4-3, at the UCF Tennis Complex. The loss snaps a four-match winning streak for the Golden Knights (7-3).
The Quakers improved to 8-4 with the win. Penn claimed the doubles point and then won three of six singles matches to record the victory.
"We played a tough opponent today," said UCF head coach Bobby Cashman. "Penn played very well and winning the doubles point really helped them. We still had some good individual showings out there and we are continuing to improve."
UCF sophomore Alamgir Wali rallied for a 1-6, 6-3, 6-4 win over Mikhail Bekker at No. 2. A pair of UCF freshmen - Brock Sakey and Tarek Ben Soltane - also took singles wins. Sakey eased past Justin Fox, 6-1, 6-3 at No. 5. Ben Soltane was a 6-1, 6-2 winner over Tas Tobias at the No. 6 spot.
Jason Pinsky, ranked 65th nationally, clinched the win for the Quakers, defeating sophomore Sinan Sudas, 7-5, 6-0, at the top spot.
The hosts won one doubles match as Sudas and freshman Norman Alcantara topped Pinsky and Joseph Lok (9-8) at No. 1.
The Golden Knights return to the courts on Sunday, hosting Louisiana-Lafayette at noon.
Penn 4, UCF 3
Singles
1: Jason Pinsky (UP) def. Sinan Sudas (UCF) 7-5, 6-0
2: Alamgir Wali (UCF) def. Mikhail Bekker (UP) 1-6, 6-3, 6-4
3: Jonathan Boym (UP) def. Sebastian Delgado (UCF) 6-1, 6-3
4: Joseph Lok (UP) def. Norman Alcantara (UCF) 6-2, 6-2
5: Brock Sakey (UCF) def. Justin Fox (UP) 6-1, 6-3
6: Tarek Ben Soltane (UCF) def. Tas Tobias (UP) 6-1, 6-2
Doubles
1: Alcantara/Sudas (UCF) def. Lok/Pinsky (UP) 9-8 (8-6)
2: Boym/Bekker (UP) def. Delgado/Wali (UCF) 8-4
3: O'Gara/Fox (UP) def. Sakey/Ben Soltane (UCF) 8-5