Tennis Taken Down By Golden Gophers
EUGENE, Ore. - The weekend did not go according to plan for the Oregon men’s tennis team (7-4, 0-0), as they dropped another tough match, 4-3, to No. 27 Minnesota. The Ducks split the singles portion, 3-3, but failed to convert on the doubles point, losing two of three matches.
In doubles, Sven Swinnen and Arron Spencer suffered their first defeat of the season, losing 8-6, to Minnesota’s Dunsan Tabak and Avery Ticer. Oregon’s Manuel Kost and Thomas Bieri played at the No. 2 position, defeating Brian Lipinksi and Aleksey Zharinov, 8-5. The Golden Gophers were victorious at the No. 3 position, taking down Chris King and Markus Schiller, and clinching the doubles point.
"The correlation between us winning the doubles point and winning the match is very obvious." said Oregon head coach Chris Russell.
In singles, No. 92-ranked Sven Swinnen took down Aleksey Zharniov, 6-1, 7-6. The wins gives Swinnen 10 dual wins for the season. Manuel Kost lost his first dual match of the year, losing to No. 59-ranked Chris Wettengel, 6-1, 7-5.
At position No. 3, Thomas Bieri looked strong, upending Avery Ticer, 6-2, 6-3, while UM’s Andres Osorio beat sophomore Markus Schiller, 6-3, 7-6.
Rounding out the singles portion was Arron Spencer defeating Dunsan Tabak in three sets, 1-6, 6-3, 6-3. Both of Spencer’s wins this weekend came by way of a three set comeback. At the No. 6 position, senior Chris King was beaten by Brain Lipinksi, 2-6, 6-2, 6-2.
"It is kind of been a disappointing weekend for us," said Russell. "We work really hard to get games like these. Coming off of the Washington weekend, we were hoping to see more desire."
The Ducks take a break this week but return to action next week when they travel up north to take on in-state rival Portland, March, 23, 1 p.m.
No. 27 Minnesota 4, Oregon 3
Student Tennis Center
March 7
Singles
1. (92) Sven Swinnen (UO) def. Aleksey Zharinov (UM) 6-1, 7-6
2. (59) Chris Wettengel (UM) def. Manuel Kost (UO) 6-1, 7-5
3. Thomas Bieri (UO) def. Avery Ticer (UM) 6-2, 6-3
4. Andres Ororio (UM) def. Markus Schiller (UO) 6-3, 7-6
5. Arron Spencer (UO) def. Dunsan Tabak (UM) 1-6, 6-3, 6-3
6. Brian Lipinski (UM) def. Chris King (UO) 2-6, 6-2, 6-2
Doubles
1. Tabak/Ticer (UM) def. Swinnen/Spencer (UO) 8-6
2. Kost/Bieri (UO) def. Lipinski/Zharinov (UM) 8-5
3. Wettengel/Osorio (UM) def. King/Schiller (UO) 8-6
