Ciaran Foley picked up two singles wins and paired with Ben Pettinari to win two doubles matches as the Illinois State mens tennis team split its matches Saturday afternoon, defeating Denver, 7-0, and falling to No. 71 Arkansas-Little Rock, 4-3.
In the first match, the Birds swept the doubles matches, jumping to a 1-0 lead heading into singles play. Ricky Heath and Marek Blaskovic edged Young/Ljubic at No.1, 9-8(7-5), while Foley and Pettinari defeated Ramfelt/Gaber at No. 2, 8-6, and Andy Martin and Jason Smit beat Tan/Menzies at No. 3, 8-4.
At No. 1 singles, Smit needed three sets to beat Ramfelt, 4-6, 6-2, 6-3, at No. 1 while Heath cruised to a 6-0, 6-3 win against Ljubic at No. 2. Foley also needed three sets in his win over Gaber at No. 3, 6-4, 7-6, 7-5. At No. 4, Pettinari defeated Tan, 6-4, 6-0, while Blaskovic beat Young at No. 5, 6-4, 6-0. Martin needed a tie-breaker in the second set to upend Matteson at No. 6, 6-4, 7-6 (11-9).
We played very well and fought hard, Redbird coach Greg Kennett said. They were a much better team than the scores indicated.
Against No. 71 Arkansas-Little Rock, the Birds nearly pulled the upset, falling 4-3.
The Redbird doubles teams had another strong outing, with Foley and Pettinari winning against Murali/Pettigrosso at No. 2, 8-5. The No. 3 team of Smit/Martin topped Baca/Bunt, 8-6, earning the doubles point.
Heath had few troubles in the first set with Luciano Diaz at No. 2 singles winning 6-0, but Diaz tried to come back unsuccessfully in set two as Heath came out on top 6-4. Foley picked up his second singles win of the day with a 6-0, 7-5 victory over Alexei Poutchinets at No. 3.
The loss was a little disappointing, Kennett said. We were certainly in there but just needed to win the three set matches.
The Birds (4-5) return to action Sunday at 10 a.m. at New Mexico State.
Illinois State 7, Denver 0
February 23, 2002 Las Cruces, N.M.
Singles
#1 Jason Smit (ISU) def. Magnus Ramfelt (UD) 4-6, 6-2, 6-3
#2 Ricky Heath (ISU) def. Urban Ljubic (UD) 6-0, 6-3
#3 Ciaran Foley (ISU) def. Hans Peter Gaber (UD) 6-4, 7-6 (7-5)
#4 Ben Pettinari (ISU) def. Jason Tan (UD) 6-4, 6-0
#5 Marek Blaskovic (ISU) def. Trevor Young (UD) 6-4, 6-0
#6 Andy Martin (ISU) def. Bob Matteson (UD) 6-4, 7-6 (11-9)
Doubles
#1 Heath/Blaskovic (ISU) def. Young/Ljubic (UD) 9-8 (7-5)
#2 Foley/Pettinari (ISU) def. Ramfelt/Gaber (UD) 8-6
#3 Smit/Martin (ISU) def. Tan/Menzies (UD) 8-4
No. 71 Arkansas-Little Rock 4, Illinois State 3
February 23, 2002 Las Cruces, N.M.
Singles
#1 Mariano Pettigrosso (UALR) def. Jason Smit (ISU) 6-0, 6-3
#2 Ricky Heath (ISU) def. Luciano Diaz (UALR) 6-0, 6-4
#3 Ciaran Foley (ISU) def. Alexei Poutchinets (UALR) 6-0, 7-5
#4 Juan Carlos Baca (UALR) def. Ben Pettinari (ISU) 6-3, 6-3
#5 Mithun Murali (UALR) def. Marek Blaskovic (ISU) 7-5, 2-6, 6-2
#6 Francisco Pagini (UALR) def. Andy Martin (ISU) 5-7, 6-3, 6-4
Doubles
#1 Diaz/Poutchinets (UALR) def. Heath/Blaskovic (ISU) 8-6
#2 Foley/Pettinari (ISU) def. Murali/Pettigrosso (UALR) 8-5
#3 Smit/Martin (ISU) def. Baca/Bunt (UALR)
