March 17, 2006

MEMPHIS, Tenn. - The University of Memphis men's tennis team (4-9) picked up a 4-3 win over Murray State at the University of Memphis Recreation Courts, Friday. The win snaps a three-match Tiger losing streak and gives the Tigers some momentum for their next match, at No. 6 Ole Miss, Wednesday. That match will be Memphis' second match of the season against a top 10 team, having already faced then No. 10 Washington before spring break.

The Tigers jumped up early in the match, winning the No. 1 and 3 doubles matches while playing with a juggled line-up due to injuries. Sam Withell moved up to play No. 1 doubles with James Spence, Spence's third different partner this year, and the duo won the No. 1 match over Fadi Zamjaovi and Dymtro Hryhorash, 8-6. The duo of Michael Jetter and Garrison Pilant downed the Murray State tandem of Nicholas Ksiezupulski and Yuri Pompeu, 8-5.

In singles, it was the depth of the Tiger line-up that pushed the Tigers to the win, as Murray State won the top two singles matches. Zamjaovi downed Spence 1-6, 6-3, 6-4, at No. 1 while Hryhorash defeated Jetter in straight sets, 6-3, 6-4. Jetter was playing up in the line-up with the absence of Matt Brewer from the singles line-up. Memphis picked up its singles wins at No. 3, 4 and 5 singles, with Withell defeating Kriezupulski 6-2, 6-1, while Tezar Putra downed Hunter Gerlach, 6-3, 6-3. Pilant added a 6-1, 6-1 straight set win at No. 5 over Pompeu to help Memphis to its fourth victory.

Memphis 4, Murray State 3
Doubles
No. 1 - Sam Withell/James Spence (UM) def. Fadi Zamjaovi/Dymtro Hryhorash, 8-6
No. 2 - Jeff Lester/Hunter Gerlach def. Tezar Putra/Matt Brewer (UM), 8-7 (4)
No. 3 - Michael Jetter/Garrison Pilant (UM) def. Nicholas Kriezupolski/Yuri Pompeu, 8-5

Singles
No. 1 - Fadi Zamjaovi def. James Spence (UM), 1-6, 6-3, 6-4
No. 2 - Dymtro Hryhorash def. Michael Jetter (UM), 6-3, 6-4
No. 3 - Sam Withell (UM) def. Nicholas Kriezupulski, 6-2, 6-1
No. 4 - Tezar Putra (UM) def. Hunter Gerlach, 6-3, 6-3
No. 5 - Garrison Pilant (UM) def. Yuri Pompeu, 6-1, 6-1
No. 6 - Jeff Lester def. Vinicius Craveiro (UM), 5-7, 7-6, (7-10)