March 31, 2006
DENVER - In their return home from a three-match road trip in Florida, the Pioneer men's tennis team posted a 5-2 win over 52nd-ranked Nebraska Friday evening at Stapleton Tennis Pavilion. The upset is Denver's biggest win over a ranked team this season and moves the squad to a record of 11-5.
"Tonight we played a great match," said head coach Geoff Young. "This is our biggest win of the season thus far and we did it in tough (weather) conditions, which says a lot about the mindset of our team."
Winds and a temperature in the low 50's did not deter the Pioneers from handing the Cornhuskers their third straight defeat. However, it was Nebraska who held the initial advantage after capturing the doubles point. Adam Holmstrom (Eskilstuna, Sweden) and Niklas Persson (Stockholm, Sweden) posted DU's lone doubles win in the No. 1 position, defeating Mark Tate and Jerry Porsh 8-5. Doubles duo Nejc Smole (Ljubljana, Slovenia) and Steve Flaks (Colorado Springs, Colo.) fell 8-4 to Nebraska's Joerg Barthel and James Clow at No. 2 doubles, while Viktor Zetterholm (Nacka, Sweden) and Aljosa Nipic (Ljubljana, Slovenia) dropped an 8-6 decision to Renato Melo and Adrian Szatmary at the No. 3 spot.
The tide turned for the Pioneers in singles with 83rd-ranked Holmstrom cruising to a 6-2, 6-0 win at No. 1 singles over Posch. The win also made Holmstrom Denver's new season record-holder in singles wins, a spot formerly held by teammate Smole after the 2002-03 season. Playing in the No. 3 position, Smole tallied Denver's second singles win of the night, ousting Szatmary 6-4, 6-3, followed by Flaks at No. 4 with a 6-2, 6-4 win over Melo. Despite Nebraska taking the match at No. 5 singles, Zetterholm rallied back from a second set tie-breaker loss to defeat Tate 6-2, 6-7(4), 6-3, sealing the match for Denver, while Persson also battled back for a 5-7, 6-2, 6-4 win at No. 2 singles.
The Pioneers return to action April 11 with a 2:30 p.m. contest in Greeley against regional rival Northern Colorado.
Denver 5, #53 Nebraska 2
3/31/2006 at Denver, Colo.
Singles
1. #83 Adam Holmstrom (DEN-M) def. Jerry Posch (NEB) 6-2, 6-0
2. Niklas Persson (DEN-M) def. James Clow (NEB) 5-7, 6-2, 6-4
3. Nejc Smole (DEN-M) def. Adrian Szatmary (NEB) 6-4, 6-3
4. Steve Flaks (DEN-M) def. Renato Melo (NEB) 6-2, 6-4
5. Viktor Zetterholm (DEN-M) def. Mark Tate (NEB) 6-2, 6-7 (4-7), 6-3
6. Hendrik Stahmer (NEB) def. Aljosa Nipic (DEN-M) 6-2, 6-1
Doubles
1. Adam Holmstrom/Niklas Persson (DEN-M) def. Jerry Posch/Mark Tate (NEB) 8-5
2. Joerg Barthel/James Clow (NEB) def. Nejc Smole/Steve Flaks (DEN-M) 8-4
3. Renato Melo/Adrian Szatmary (NEB) def. Viktor Zetterholm/Aljosa Nipic (DEN-M) 8-6
Match Notes
Nebraska 10-7; National ranking #53
Denver 11-5
Order of finish: Doubles (1,2,3); Singles (1,6,3,4,5,2)
