Jan. 28, 2007

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Despite a 7-5, 6-4 win at No. 2 singles by Amrit Narasimhan, the University of Memphis men's tennis team dropped to 0-2 on the season with a 6-1 loss at No. 63 Vanderbilt, Sunday.

The Commodores swept all three doubles matches to take an early lead in the match 1-0, and Vandy went up 3-0 with wins at No. 5, then 4 singles over a pair of Tiger freshmen in straight sets. But the Tigers would battle back with Narsimhan's win at No. 2 singles. But Vanderbilt's Vijay Paul would prevail in a third set, 7-5, over Jimmy Khougassian to decide the match in the Commodores favor despite Benedikt Fischer and Spencer Heflin both having stretched their matches at No. 1 and No. 6, respectively, to a third set. In order for time constraints, Heflin's match was played in a pro-set tiebreak after he battled back from a first set loss, but he fell 10-7 in the tiebreak to lose the match 6-3, 4-6, 1-0.

Memphis will return home for additional practice before opening their 2007 home schedule against UT Martin, Feb. 3rd, at 6 p.m.

No. 63 Vanderbilt 6, Memphis 1
Singles
No. 1 -- No. 97 Evan Dufaux def. Benedikt Fischer (UM), 6-7 (5), 7-6 (5), 6-3
No. 2 -- Amrit Narasimhan (UM) Nic Cromydas, 7-5, 6-4
No. 3 -- Vijay Paul def. Jimmy Khougassian (UM), 4-6, 6-3, 7-5
No. 4 -- Nathan Sachs def. Charlie Ramsay (UM), 6-4, 6-2
No. 5 -- Andy Mack def. Cody Loup (UM), 6-4, 7-5
No. 6 -- Scott Lieberman def. Spencer Heflin (UM), 6-3. 4-6, 1-0
5, 4, 2, 3*, 1, 6 (*Clincher)
Doubles
No. 1 -- Cromydas/Paul def. Narasimhan/Fisher (UM), 8-4
No. 2 -- Mack/Sachs def. Khougassian/Ramsay (UM), 8-6
No. 3 -- Dufaux/Lieberman def. Heflin/Garrison Pilant (UM), 8-3