April 7, 2009

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. - The Memphis men's tennis team finished the Sun Belt Shootout last weekend with a mark of 1-2, picking up a win over the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers, while suffering losses to South Alabama and Troy. The Tigers left Murfreesboro, Tenn., with an overall record of 13 wins and 10 losses. With Saturday's win over Western Kentucky, the U of M and head coach Paul Goebel have put up the program's best record in the five-year run of Goebel as the leader of the Memphis netters.

"It was great to finish off the weekend with a win against Western Kentucky," Goebel said. "We just hope it gives us some momentum going into our last home match of the season. We are going to work hard this week and make sure we are good and confident heading into the final match of the regular season and then the Conference Tournament."

Michael Gaerthoeffner, a sophomore from Rheine, Germany, led the way for Memphis over the weekend picking up three wins in Murfreesboro. In his first match of the Sun Belt Shootout, Gaerthoeffner upended South Alabama's Dauw Kruger, 6-2, 7-5. With the loss, USA's Kruger drops to 6-6 on the season. Kruger had picked up three wins this season over opponent's from ranked teams.

In his second match of the weekend, Gaerthoeffner triumphed with a 6-2, 6-4 decision over Guilherme Sahadi of Troy.

To cap of a successful weekend, the Memphis netter defeated Western Kentucky's Priyan Gangadharan, 6-0, 6-0. Gaerthoeffner's record now stands at 12-6 after three wins this weekend.

In doubles, the duo of Benedikt Fischer and Jordan Smith picked up three victories. The Tiger pair picked up a win over Aurelien Tave and Xavier Masson of Troy, 8-5. The tandem defeated their opposition from South Alabama, 9-7. In the final match of the weekend, Fischer and Smith upended Currie Martin and Gangadharan, 8-2. Fischer and Smith are 15-7 as a doubles tandem this season, leading the way in wins for Memphis' doubles line-up.

Michael Hayes and Spencer Heflin picked up two wins over the weekend, upending their competition from South Alabama and Troy. Hayes and Heflin are 2-2 this season. Memphis will return to the courts on April 11 at the University of Memphis Tennis Courts for a battle with Arkansas-Pine Bluff. The match will mark the final regular season match for the U of M. Following Saturday's match, the Tigers will head for the C-USA Tournament in Orlando, Fla.

Memphis Results
South Alabama 4, Memphis 3
Buck Bouldin Tennis Center
Murfreesboro, Tenn.

Doubles
No. 1- Spencer Heflin/Michael Hayes (UM) def. Hanno Bartsch/Roman Bocaert (USA), 8-6
No. 2- Leo Dominguez/Dauw Kruger (USA) def. Jorge Vazquez/Leon Nasemann (UM),  8-3
No. 3- Benedikt Fischer/Jordan Smith (UM) def. Marek Sramek/Aaron Krisan (USA), 9-7

Singles
No. 1- Sramek (USA) def. 86th-ranked Vazquez (UM), 2-6, 6-1, 6-1
No. 2- Bocaert (USA) def. Fischer (UM), 2-6, 6-2, 6-4
No. 3- Dominguez (USA) def. Nasemann (UM), 6-3, 6-3
No.4- Charlie Ramsay (UM) def. Krisan (USA), 7-5, 6-3
No. 5- Hayes (UM) def. Bartsch (USA), 1-6, 6-4, 6-3
No. 6- Michael Gaerthoeffner (UM) def. Kruger (USA), 6-2, 7-5

Troy 4, Memphis 2
Buck Bouldin Tennis Center
Murfreesboro, Tenn.

Doubles
No. 1- Heflin/Hayes (UM) def. Branko Weber/Mario Silva (TROY), 8-5
No. 3- Fischer/Smith (UM) def. Aurelien Tave/Xavier Masson (TROY), 8-5

Singles
No. 1- Tave (TROY) def. Vazquez (UM), 6-2, 6-1
No. 3- Benjamin Chomette (TROY) def. Nasemann (UM), 6-4, 6-2
No. 4- Masson (TROY) def. Ramsay (UM), 6-1, 6-0
No. 5- Gaerthoeffer (UM) def. Guilherme Sahadi (TROY), 6-2, 6-4
No. 6- Bastian Maucher (TROY) def. Hayes (UM), 6-3, 7-5

Memphis 4, Western Kentucky 0
Buck Bouldin Tennis Center
Murfreesboro, Tenn.

Doubles
No. 2- Smith/Fischer (UM) def. Currie Martin/Priyank Gangadharan (WKU), 8-2
No. 3- K.C. Griffin/David Henry (UM) def. Arul Selvan/Quinn Saine (WKU), 8-2

Singles
No. 2- Nasemann (UM) def. Andy True (WKU), 7-5, 6-3
No. 4- Gaerthoeffner (UM) def. Gangadharan (WKU), 6-0, 6-0
No. 6- Henry (UM) def. Andrew Swanson (WKU), 6-0, 6-0