Jan. 22, 2012

HINSDALE, Ill. - The UIC men's tennis team could not outlast Chicago on Saturday evening at the Hinsdale Racquet Club, as they fell to the Maroons, 5-2. The Flames go to 0-3 on the season.

"We showed great effort today, but we have to keep improving," head coach Hans Neufeld said. "Too many errors cost us the match."

Through singles play, UIC was able to come away with two wins from Nate Kirk and Rahul Kamath. Kirk topped Zsolt Szabo in the No. 4 position by a final of 7-6, 7-6, while Kamath took Deepak Sabada to three sets in the No. 5 spot and came out on top to capture the win, 6-3, 3-6, 6-3.

In No. 3 singles, Alan Reifer pressured Alexander Golovin to three sets, taking the first before falling in the remaining two, 4-6, 6-2, 6-1.

It came down to close match-ups in the No. 2 and 3 positions for UIC in doubles action. Alexander Raa and Kamath fell in a tight match in the No. 2 spot to Ankur Bhargava and Sabada, 9-8, while a 9-8 decision was also marked in the No. 3 spot, but with Maurizio Feoli and Reifer coming away with the lone doubles win against Chicago's duo of Krishna Ravella and Szabo.

Breaking from competition for two weeks, the Flames travel to Milwaukee, Wis., on Saturday, Feb. 2, to take on Marquette at 1 p.m. (CT).


Chicago 5, UIC 2
Doubles:
1. Brinker/Stefanski def. Shepardson/Kirk - 8-5
2. Bhargava/Sabada def. Raa/Kamath - 9-8
3. Feoli/Reifer def. Ravella/Szabo - 9-8

Singles:
1. Troy Brinker def. Alexander Raa - 6-3, 6-4
2. Ankur Bhargava def. Maurizio Feoli - 7-6, 6-3
3. Alexander Golovin def. Alan Reifer - 4-6, 6-2, 6-1
4. Nate Kirk def. Zsolt Szabo - 7-6, 7-6
5. Rahul Kamath def. Deepak Sabada - 6-3, 3-6, 6-3
6. Jan Stefanski def. Scott Shepardson - 7-5, 6-1