Feb. 27, 2004

NEW ORLEANS, La. - The University of Memphis men's tennis team (5-2, 1-0) downed Southern Miss in the opening match of the Inter Conference Tournament at Tulane University, 5-2, Friday. With the win, the No. 69 ranked Tigers advance to the second round to face No. 45 Tulane, at noon, Saturday.

Memphis swept the doubles point, claiming the No. 1 and 2 singles slots with 8-2 wins, and with an 8-5 victory at No. 3 doubles. Memphis then won two of the six singles matches, with junior Marten Tamla's 7-6, 6-3 win at no. 4 clinching the match in the Tigers' favor.

Senior Lee Taylor Walker became the second upset victim for Southern Miss' David Canudas. Canudas, who downed the then-No. 40 player in the country in a non-conference match against Auburn, downed Walker, 6-4, 6-3 at No. 1 singles, snapping a five-match win streak for Walker.

Match #1
#3 Memphis 5, #6 Southern Miss 2

Doubles
1. Spence/Walker (UM) def. Bourgeois/Funke (USM): 8-2
2. Bucewicz/Tamla (UM) def. Canudas/Rea (USM): 8-2
3. Campbell/Jago (UM) def. Lux/Mezey (USM): 8-5

Singles
1. David Canudas (USM) def. #76 Lee Taylor Walker (UM): 6-4, 6-3
2. James Spence (UM) def. Juan Garzon (USM): 6-2, 6-0
3. Alex Bucewicz (UM) def. Marc-Oliver Lux (USM): 7-6, 3-0, ret.
4. Marten Tamla (UM) def. Christopher Rea (USM): 7-6, 6-3*
5. Reid Bourgeois (USM) def. Sam Withell (UM): 7-6, 6-2
6. Mark Finnegan (UM) def. Dylan Mezey (USM): 6-2, 3-6, 10-8

* - clinched victory