Feb. 18, 2010

Results

GREENVILLE, S.C. -- The Furman men's tennis team, ranked 58th nationally, dropped a close 4-3 match to #64 Clemson Thursday evening at the Mickel Tennis Center. The loss snaps the Paladins 25 match home-winning streak.

Clemson opened the match by winning all three doubles matches to take the doubles point. Derek Difazio and Rok Bizjak teamed up at number one doubles, handing Paladin seniors Chris Motes and Chris Rhyne an 8-5 loss. At number two doubles, Carlos Alvarez and Juan Bolona defeated junior Sawyer Duncan and freshman Andrew Mellow 8-6, while Kevin Galloway and Wesley Moran beat junior Andrei Chvetsov and senior Jordan Walters 8-5 at number three doubles.

The Tigers picked up wins at number two singles (Bizjak defeated Motes 6-3, 6-2) and number three singles (Alvarez defeated Walters 7-5, 6-0), before the Paladins surged back to tie the match at 3-3. Duncan defeated DiFazio 3-6, 6-3, 6-2 in the first singles spot. Lundberg won a tough match over Galloway at number two, 6-4, 6-7(4), 6-4, then Chvetsov defeated Zachary Rigsby 6-2, 7-6(8-6) to tie the score. The deciding match was number six singles, where Clemson's Moran defeated Mellow 7-5, 6-3.

"I couldn't have been more proud of the effort our team put in," said Furman head coach Paul Scarpa. "We have a really young team, having lost our top four players from last season. We played a good Clemson team, and it came down to the final match, so I couldn't have asked any more of this team."

Furman (3-4, 1-0 SoCon) will play at Vanderbilt on Feb. 27 at 1 p.m.

#64 Clemson 4, #58 Furman 3

Singles Results 1 - Sawyer Duncan (FUR) def. Derek DiFazio (CU) 3-6, 6-3, 6-2 2 - Rok Bizjak (CU) def. Chris Motes (FUR) 6-3, 6-2 3 - Carlos Alvarez (CU) def. Jordan Walters (FUR) 7-5, 6-0 4 - Carl Lundberg (FUR) def. Kevin Galloway (CU) 6-4, 6-7(4), 6-4 5 - Andrei Chvetsov (FUR) def. Zachary Rigsby (CU) 7-5, 6-4 6 - Wesley Moran (CU) def. Andrew Mellow (FUR) 7-5, 6-3

Doubles Results 1 - Difazio/Bizjak (CU) def. Motes/Chris Rhyne (FUR) 8-5 2 - Alvarez/Juan Bolona (CU) def. Duncan/Mellow (FUR) 8-6 3 - Galloway/Moran (CU) def. Chvetsov/Walters (FUR) 8-5

Order of finish: Singles 3,2,1,4,5,6 Doubles 1,2,3,

Clemson (6-0), Furman (3-4, 1-0 SoCon)