March 27, 2006

MEMPHIS, Tenn. - The University of Memphis men's tennis team (4-10, 1-2 C-USA) is 4-3 against opponents that are not ranked in the ITA National rankings. The Tigers are 0-7 against ranked opponents after suffering a 7-0 loss at No. 13 Ole Miss last week, and are looking to get back in the win column, Tuesday against UC-Riverside. That non-conference match will be held at 12 p.m. on the MUS Courts.

UC-Riverside is 8-5 heading into this week. The Highlanders are playing at UAB, Monday, and their eight wins on the season is a new school record for team victories during the spring dual season. Norman Tam is the team's top singles player, sporting a 5-9 record at No. 1. The team of Mark Contreras, who is 7-7 at No. 2 singles, at Christian Frick, are 4-10 at No. 1 doubles heading into Monday's match at UAB.

Memphis is led by the No. 1 doubles team of senior James Spence and sophomore Sam Withell, who are the No. 24 ranked doubles team in the country. The duo is 9-2 on the season after suffering an 8-5 loss to the No. 15 ranked team of Eric Claesson and Erling Tveit. The twosome is 1-1 against ranked doubles foes, and will look for a win Tuesday to get them back on track before facing No. 60 SMU in Dallas, Saturday, and hosting an Auburn-Montgomery team that ranks No. 2 in NAIA Division I, Apr. 7th.

Spence also leads the Tigers with six singles victories on the season, including a 5-4 mark at No. 3. The New Zealand native is still looking to post his first win at No. 1 singles, having lost the last four matches atop the singles line-up, including one three-set loss to Murray State's Fadi Zamjaovi last week.

Freshman Matt Brewer is second on the team with five singles wins, including a 2-1 mark at No. 2 and a 2-4 mark at No. 1. Like Spence, Brewer is looking to snap a skid, having lost his last three outings. Brewer missed the Murray State match, and faced the No. 72 ranked singles player in the country in his first match back at Ole Miss, falling 6-3, 6-2. Brewer is 1-2 against ranked singles opponents on the year, with his Feb. 4th win over Tulsa's Diego Camacho (No. 73) helping him win three of his first four collegiate dual matches.

Sam Withell is tied with Brewer at the five singles victory mark, sporting a 4-6 record at No. 4 singles despite just rejoining the team in January and not playing college tennis in over a year. Withell, who has teamed with Spence in all but three doubles matches, also lost to a ranked singles opponent at Ole Miss, falling to No. 40 Eric Claesson, 6-3, 6-2.

Memphis has just two home matches remaining, counting Tuesday's match. The Apr. 7th match against Auburn-Montgomery will be the last home match for senior James Spence. Spence and fellow senior, Alex Jago, had a solid fall season, posting a 6-4 mark in doubles, before Jago missed the entire spring semester due to a wrist injury.