March 17, 2004
MOBILE, AL – The Iowa men’s tennis team dropped its first of three road contests during its spring trip with a 6-1 loss to New Orleans Wednesday afternoon at the Bruce David Lubel Memorial Tennis Courts on the campus of the University of South Alabama.
The Hawkeyes came up short by the slimmest of margins in doubles competition, losing two matches by tiebreaks. In the No. 1 match, sophomore Chaitu Malempati and freshman Sebastian Delgado were edged by Luka Bernard and Gabriel Delarue, 9-8. In their first time competing as a duo, freshmen Walter Valarezo and Scott Elwell were edged by Pierre Ros-Barbier and Erwan Rebuffe, 9-8. The No. 3 match was also close with sophomore Aaron Schaechterle and senior Matis Jasicek falling to Julien De La Mettrie and Saif Ali, 9-7.
Iowa was unable to stage a comeback in singles competition, winning only one of six matches. The Hawkeyes lone point of the day came in the No. 6 match where Elwell recorded his first collegiate dual victory with a 7-5, 6-0 win over Ali. In the No. 1 match, Malempati lost a 6-4, 6-3 decision to Bernard. Delgado lost, 6-3, 6-2, to Nicolas Houard in the No. 2 match. In the No. 3 match, Valarezo was defeated by Ros-Barbier, 6-3, 6-1. Schaechterle lost his No. 4 match with Rebuffe, 6-3, 6-3. In the No. 5 match, Jasicek was defeated by De Le Mettrie in straight sets, 6-0, 6-2.
Iowa (3-6, 0-2) will return to action Friday when it faces South Alabama. Competition is scheduled to begin at 12:30 p.m. (CT) at the Bruce David Lubel Memorial Tennis Courts.
RESULTS
New Orleans 6
Iowa 1
Singles
No. 1 Luka Bernard (UNO) def. Chaitu Malempati (I), 6-4, 6-3
No. 2 Nicolas Houard (UNO) def. Sebastian Delgado (I), 6-3, 6-2
No. 3 Pierre Ros-Barbier (UNO) def. Walter Valarezo (I), 6-3, 6-1
No. 4 Erwan Rebuffe (UNO) def. Aaron Schaechterle (I), 6-3, 6-3
No. 5 Julien De La Mettrie (UNO) def. Matis Jasicek (I), 6-0, 6-2
No. 6 Scott Elwell (I) def. Saif Ali (UNO), 7-5, 6-0
Doubles
No. 1 Bernard/Gabriel Delarue (UNO) def. Malempati/Delgado (I), 9-8
No. 2 Ros-Barbier/Rebuffe (UNO) def. Valarezo/Elwell (I), 9-8
No. 3 De La Mettrie/Ali (UNO) def. Schaechterle/Jasicek (I), 9-7