Hog Netters Fall to No. 10 Ole Miss 4-3

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – No. 16 Arkansas could not overcome No. 10 Ole Miss Sunday, falling, 4-3, at the Dills Indoor Tennis Center in Fayetteville.

The match was moved indoors due to winds gusting up to 35 mph in the Northwest Arkansas area.

Arkansas falls to 13-7 overall and 4-4 in the SEC. Ole Miss improves to 16-3 overall and 6-2 in conference play. Sunday’s match marked the 15th time this season the Hogs faced a ranked opponent. Arkansas is 8-7 against ranked teams, with all seven losses to teams currently ranked in the FILA/ITA top-20.

The doubles point was tightly contested and turned out to be the pivotal point of the match. After winning at No. 3 doubles, Ole Miss’ team of Eric Claesson and Erling Tveit edged Arkansas’ combo of seniors Rohan Gajjar and Matt Roberts, 9-7, to give the Rebels a 1-0 advantage.

It was the ninth time in Arkansas’ 20 matches it failed to claim the doubles point. Arkansas is 2-7 when losing doubles, and 11-0 when winning the doubles tally.

Arkansas fell behind 2-0 when sophomore Michael Jung dropped a decision to 110th-ranked Robbye Poole, 6-2, 6-2, at No. 6. The Razorbacks quickly gained a point at No. 5 when sophomore Colin Mascall bested Jakob Klaesson, 6-2, 6-3.

Jung falls to 22-7 overall, 8-5 in dual matches and 2-3 in the SEC, while Mascall improves to 10-7 and 3-4 in conference play.

The Hogs lost the match at No. 2, with Roberts falling to 40th-ranked Eric Claesson, 6-3, 6-2. The Rebels then clinched the dual-match victory at No.1, where 16th-ranked Erling Tveit knocked off 13th-ranked senior Adrians Zguns, 6-3, 6-4.

Roberts, ranked 49th, is 22-8 this season, 13-5 in duals and 5-3 in the SEC, while Zguns falls to 20-7 overall, 12-4 in duals and 4-3 in conference action.

With the match already decided, the Razorbacks fought to claim two more points. Gajjar, ranked 74th, battled back after dropping the first set to defeat Bram ten Berge at No. 3, 3-6, 7-6 (3), 1-0 (4). Freshman Blake Strode also earned a point for the Hogs, winning a tough two-setter with Juan Pablo Di Cesare, 7-6 (3), 7-6 (4).

Gajjar betters his season record to 17-6, including a 12-3 dual-match mark and is 5-2 in the SEC. Strode improves to 20-5, becoming the Hogs’ fourth 20-match winner this season, 12-3 in duals and 5-3 in league play.

Arkansas is on the road next weekend, traveling to Auburn, Ala. Friday to face the Auburn Tigers at 5 p.m. The Razorbacks then head to Tuscaloosa, Ala. to battle Alabama Sunday at 1 p.m. For complete Razorback tennis results, log on to www.hogwired.com.

#10 Ole Miss 4, #16 Arkansas 3

April 2, 2006

Fayetteville, Ark.

Doubles:

1. Eric Claesson/Erling Tveit (UM) def. Matt Roberts/Rohan Gajjar (AR), 9-7

2. Bram ten Berge/Juan Pablo Di Cesare (UM) vs. #39 Adrians Zguns/Blake Strode (AR), 8-7 (susp.)

3. Jakob Klaesson/Robbye Poole (UM) def. Austin King/Colin Mascall (AR), 8-3

Order of Finish: 3, 1

Singles

1. #16 Erling Tveit (UM) def. #13 Adrians Zguns (AR), 6-3, 6-3

2. #40 Eric Claesson (UM) def. #49 Matt Roberts (AR), 6-3, 6-2

3. #74 Rohan Gajjar (AR) def. Bram ten Berge (UM), 3-6, 7-6(3), 1-0(4)

4. #102 Blake Strode (AR) def. #72 Juan Pablo Di Cesare (UM), 7-6(3), 7-6(4)

5. Colin Mascall (AR) def. Jakob Klaesson (UM), 6-2, 6-3

6. #110 Robbye Poole (UM) def. Michael Jung (AR), 6-2, 6-2

Order of Finish: 6, 5, 2, 1*, 3, 4

Match Notes:

#16 Arkansas (13-7, 4-4 SEC)

#10 Ole Miss (16-3, 6-2 SEC)

Clinchers: No. 1 doubles, No. 1 singles