Sooners Fall to Razorbacks

Feb. 20, 2009

Fayetteville, Ark. -- The University of Oklahoma men's tennis team (4-3) suffered its third loss of the season to No. 46 Arkansas (6-2), Friday afternoon, inside the Dills Indoor Stadium in Fayetteville, Ark.

The Sooners jumped to No. 57 in the latest ITA rankings released, Feb. 19; however, OU was unsuccessful in their attempt to upset the Razorbacks.

OU began the four and a half hour dual strong, as senior Sergey Avdeyev pared with Ionut Beleleu to upset the 40th-ranked doubles team comprised of Blake Strode and Matt Hogan. The Sooners were unable to defeat the Razorbacks No. 2 and No. 3 doubles team, and lost the first point to the Hogs.

Singles competition was heated for both squads. At the No. 1 spot No. 16 Strode of Arkansas began singles competition defeating Avdeyev, 6-2, 6-2. The Sooners quickly answered as freshman George Chanturia beat the Hogs' Bradwin Williams, 6-2, 6-3, at the No. 5 spot.

Following the quick matches on courts one and five, the Sooners and Razorbacks battled for each point, as three of the remaining four matches went to three sets.

The first Sooner to finish play after going three sets was junior Blake Boswell. After winning his first set, 5-7, Boswell fell to Tyler Tarnasky in the following two sets, 6-4, 6-4.

Sophomore David Pultr was unable to gain a win against No. 70 Hogan of Arkansas, as he fell 7-5, 7-6 (4). Despite losing his second set, 2-6, fellow sophomore Beleleu was able to secure a victory over Dmitry Lebedev, winning his first and third set 6-3, 6-3. No. 59 Andrei Daescu played Chris Nott, but lost in three sets, 6-3, 1-6, 6-3.

Next up for the Sooners is a trip to Las Vegas, Nev. to take on Northern Arizona and UNLV on Feb. 27 and 28, respectively.

Arkansas 5, Oklahoma 2

Singles
1. No. 16 Blake Strode (UA) def. Sergey Avdeyev (OU), 6-2, 6-2
2. Chris Nott (UA) def. No. 59 Andrei Daescu (OU), 2-6, 6-3, 7-5
3. No. 70 Matt Hogan (UA) def. David Pultr (OU), 7-5, 7-6(4)
4. Ionut Beleleu (OU) def. Dmitry Lebedev (UA), 6-3, 1-6, 6-3
5. George Chanturia (OU) def. Bradwin Williams (UA), 6-2, 6-3
6. Tyler Tarnasky (UA) def. Blake Boswell (OU), 5-7, 6-4, 6-4

Doubles
1. Sergey Avdeyev/Ionut Beleleu (OU) def. No. 40 Blake Strode/Matt Hogan (UA), 8-5
2. Chris Nott/Dmitry Lebedev (UA) def. Andrei Daescu/George Chanturia (OU), 8-3
3. Tyler Tarnasky/Bradwin Williams (UA) def. David Pultr/Blake Boswell(OU), 8-6

Order of Finish
Doubles: 2, 1, 3
Singles: 1, 6, 3, 4, 5*, 2
*-clinching match

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