Feb. 16, 2008

Stockton, Calif. - The Pacific men's tennis team fell to Saint Mary's in a close match by a final score of 4-3 at the Hal Nelson Tennis Courts in Stockton, Calif. on Feb. 16. With the loss the Tigers fell to 3-2 on the season, while the Gaels improved to 5-2.

In doubles play the Tigers continued to impress, winning two of the three matches to earn the doubles team point. At the No. 1 position Moritz Starke (Bamberg, Germany) and David Gonzalez (Guayaquil, Ecuador) defeated Joel Kusnierz and Marek Dvorak 8-2, while Artem Gramma (Krivoj Rog, Ukraine) and Renan Delsin (Santa Cruz da Conceiacao, Brazil defeated Andrea Zannoni and Lucas Tirelli 8-6 at the No. 2 position. Starke and Gonzalez are now 2-1 together this spring and 4-2 on the year.

In singles play, Starke and Gonzalez captured lone victories for the Tigers to combine for Pacific's final two points of the contest. Starke came back to defeat Tirelli 5-7, 6-3, 6-1 at the No. 2 position, while Gonzalez also came back from a slow start to win over Dvorak 2-6, 6-3, 6-2.

The Tigers will next return to action tomorrow, Feb. 17, to host UC Riverside at the Hal Nelson Tennis Courts in Stockton, Calif. The match will start at 11:00 a.m. (three hours earlier than the previously scheduled time).

2008 PACIFIC MEN'S TENNIS RESULTS
SAINT MARY'S - 4, PACIFIC - 3
At Hal Nelson Tennis Courts, Stockton, Calif.

DOUBLES (Pacific earns one team point)

Moritz Starke / David Gonzalez (PAC) def. Joel Kusnierz / Marek Dvorak (SMC), 8-2
Artem Gramma / Renan Delsin (PAC) def. Andrea Zannoni / Lucas Tirelli (SMC), 8-6
Gerald Ellison / Achim Christner (SMC) def. Vegerd Veskimagi / Pedro Toledo (SMC), 8-1

SINGLES (Pacific earns two team points)

Joel Kusnierz (SMC) def. Artem Gramma (PAC), 7-5, 6-4
Moritz Starke (PAC) def. Lucas Tirelli (SMC), 5-7, 6-3, 6-1
David Gonzalez (PAC) def. Marek Dvorak (SMC), 2-6, 6-3, 6-2
Achim Christner (SMC) def. Renan Delsin (PAC), 7-6, 4-6, 6-3
Andrea Zannoni (SMC) def. Vegerd Veskimagi (PAC), 6-4, 3-6, 6-3
Youssef El Bouzkouri (SMC) def. Pedro Toledo (PAC), 6-1, 6-3