Yohann Nograbat picked up his fifth victory of season, but it wasnt enough, as the Illinois State mens tennis team(2-2, 0-0) lost their second straight match to Memphis, 6-1, Friday, in Memphis, Tenn.
Nograbat was able to pick up the Redbirds lone point of the evening by defeating Marten Tamla in the No. 4 spot, 7-6, 1-6, 10-5.
The rest of the Birds did not fair so well, however, as the top three players in the lineup, Ben Cappuccitti, Djordje Uskokovic, and Ben Pettinari were all unable to win a single set.
Head coach Greg Kennett feels that a slow start in the double competition set the tone for the entire match for the Birds.
They cam out much more aggressive than us in the doubles competition, Kennett said. The doubles point definitely set the tone for the night, and we were never able to recover from it.
The Redbirds will return to action when they face Western Michigan, in Kalamazoo, Mich., February 20, at 1 p.m.
No. 70 Memphis 6, Illinois State 1
Doubles
No. 1 - Lee Taylor Walker/James Spence (UM) def. Djordje Uskokovic/Benjamin Pettinari (ISU), 8-2
No. 2 - Alex Bucewicz/Marten Tamla (UM) def. Alban Renard/Guillermo Gomez (ISU), 8-4
No. 3 - Alex Jago/Luke Campbell (UM) def. Ben Cappuccitti/Yohann Nograbat (ISU), 8-5
Singles
No. 1 - No. 48 Lee Taylor Walker (UM) def. Benjamin Pettinari, 6-1,6-0
No. 2 - James Spence (UM) def. Ben Cappuccitti, 6-4, 6-4
No. 3 - Alex Bucewicz (UM) def. Djordje Uskokovic, 6-4, 6-1
No. 4 - Yohann Nograbat def. Marten Tamla (UM), 7-6, 1-6, 10-5
No. 5 - Sam Withell (UM) def. Alban Renard, 6-4, 5-7, 10-6
No. 6 - Alex Jago (UM) def. Alfredo Lagarda, 4-6, 6-4, 10-2
Order of singles finish: 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 4
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