Feb. 27, 2004

The University of Arkansas-Little Rock defeated the University of Denver, 6-1, in Sun Belt Conference (SBC) men's tennis action this afternoon in Little Rock. The Trojans won the doubles point and five of six singles matches to claim the win. The Pioneers fall to 4-6 overall and 0-3 in the SBC. UALR improves to 8-2, 1-0.

"We need to get better," head coach Geoff Young said. "We have to find a way to play better in our outdoor matches."

Senior Urban Ljubic (Ljubljana, Slovenia) won his first singles match of the season to claim Denver's lone point. Ljubic defeated Mithun Murali, 4-6, 7-5, 1-0 at No. 5 singles.

Denver's Nejc Smole (Ljubljana, Slovenia) won his first set at No. 1 singles before coming down with a stomach flu in the second set. Smole couldn't recover and lost his first match in his last six outings.

The Pioneers return to action tomorrow morning against Lamar in Little Rock.

#71 Arkansas-Little Rock 6, #75 Denver 1

Singles

1) #78 Bastian Faisst (UALR) def.

Nejc Smole (DU), 3-6, 6-1, 6-4

2) Alexei Poutchinets (UALR) def.

Hans Peter Gaber (DU), 6-3, 7-6

3) Sebastian Falk (UALR) def.

Viktor Zetterholm (DU), 6-3, 7-6

4) David Baxendine (UALR) def.

Jason Tan (DU), 6-3, 6-3

5) Urban Ljubic (DU) def.

Mithun Murali (UALR), 4-6, 7-5, 1-0

6) Jarrad Bunt (UALR) def.

Niki Popovic (DU), 6-3, 6-3

Doubles

1) #33 Faisst/Falk (UALR) def.

Smole/Zetterholm (DU), 8-4

2) Gaber/Popovic (DU) def.

Mark Edney/Poutchinets (UALR), 8-4

3) Murali/Bunt (UALR) def.

Ljubic / Steve Flaks (DU), 8-5