Feb. 15, 2009
AUBURN, Ala. (UCFAthletics.com) - The UCF men's tennis team won three singles matches Sunday, but it was not enough as No. 29 Auburn escaped with a 4-3 win over the Knights at the Yarborough Tennis Center. UCF (4-4) was playing its second match in as many days.
The Tigers, who improved to 3-1 with the win, opened the match by taking the doubles point and then claimed three singles tilts.
"I am really proud of how we competed today. We didn't back down from one of the top program in the nation, even after we dropped the doubles point," UCF head coach Bobby Cashman said. "Unfortunately, the doubles point provide crucial again. We got the break up at all three positions, but we didn't put away our opportunities."
At the No. 3 doubles spot, Auburn's Milan Krnjetin and Michel Monteiro held on for a 9-8 (7) win over senior Tarek Ben Soltane (Tunis, Tunisia) and freshman Eugene Dolgovykh (Palm Coast, Fla.). Facing Alexey Tsyrenov and Lukas Marsoun at No. 1, junior Marc Rocafort (Barcelona, Spain) and sophomore Blaze Schwartz (Pensacola, Fla.) dropped an 8-6 contest.
The results were different at No. 2, where junior Johan Beigart (Vaxjo, Sweden) and freshman Joe Delinks (Falmouth, Mass.) defeated Tim Puetz and Alex Petropoulos, 8-7 (9).
The Knights picked up singles wins at the No. 4, 5 and 6 positions. Rocafort rolled past Krnjetin, 6-4, 6-1, at No. 4.
Dolgovykh topped Petropoulos at No. 5. He rallied for a 3-6, 6-2, 7-6 (7) win. At No. 6, Delinks handled Monteiro (6-3, 6-2).
UCF will open an eight-match homestand next Saturday versus Louisiana-Lafayette. First serve at the UCF Tennis Complex is 11 a.m.
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No. 29 Auburn 4, UCF 3
Singles Competition
1. Alexey Tsyrenov (AU) def. Tarek Ben Soltane (UCF) 6-4, 6-3
2. Tim Puetz (AU) def. Johan Beigart (UCF) 6-4, 6-2
3. Lukas Marsoun (AU) def. Blaze Schwartz (UCF) 1-6, 6-2, 6-4
4. Marc Rocafort (UCF) def. Milan Krnjetin (AU) 6-4, 6-1
5. Eugene Dolgovykh (UCF) def. Alex Petropoulos (AU) 3-6, 6-2, 7-6 (7-5)
6. Joe Delinks (UCF) def. Michel Monteiro (AU) 6-3, 6-2
Doubles Competition
1. Alexey Tsyrenov/Lukas Marsoun (AU) def. Marc Rocafort/Blaze Schwartz (UCF) 8-6
2. Joe Delinks/Johan Beigart (UCF) def. Tim Puetz/Alex Petropoulos (AU) 8-7 (9-7)
3. Milan Krnjetin/Michel Monteiro (AU) def. Tarek Ben Soltane/Eugene Dolgovykh (UCF) 9-8 (7-1)