Hawkeyes Face Michigan State

April 1, 2006

EAST LANSING, MI – The University of Iowa men’s tennis team continued Big Ten competition today when they faced the Michigan State Spartans. Iowa was defeated by the Spartans, 5-2.

Iowa won two of six singles matches today. In the No. 1 match, sophomore Bart van Monsjou was defeated by #125 Nick Rinks, 6-4, 6-4. Sophomore J.P. Ritchie continued play for the Hawkeyes at the No. 2 spot. He was defeated by Adam Monich, 6-2, 6-2. Freshman Christian Bierich snagged the first win for the Hawkeyes and defeated John Allare in the No. 3 match, 6-3, 6-2. In the No. 4 match, senior Chaitu Malempati was defeated by Michael Flowers, 6-4, 6-4. Senior Brett Taylor got a win for Iowa when he defeated Joseph McWilliams in the No. 5 match, 6-1, 6-4. In the last singles match, senior Kyle Markham returned from injury to make his season debut. He was defeated by Scott Rasmussen, 7-6 (7-3), 4-6, 1-0 (10-7).

The Hawkeyes had one doubles victory against Michigan State. In the No. 3 match, Bierich teamed with senior Aaron Schaechterle to defeat Rasmussen and Flowers, 8-6. Malempati and van Monsjou paired in the No. 2 match and were defeated by Allare and McWilliams, 8-6. In the No. 1 match, the Hawkeye team of Taylor and Ritchie was defeated by Rinks and Monich, 9-8 (7-3).

With this loss, the Hawkeyes fall to 5-7 overall and 0-3 in the Big Ten. Iowa will return to action tomorrow when they travel to Ann Arbor to face Michigan. The meet will begin at 11 a.m. (CST).

Results
Michigan State 5
Iowa 2

Singles:
No. 1 #125 Nick Rinks (MSU) def. Bart van Monsjou (IOWA) 6-4, 6-4
No. 2 Adam Monich (MSU) def. J.P. Ritchie (IOWA) 6-2, 6-2
No. 3 Christian Bieirch (IOWA) def. John Allare (MSU) 6-3, 6-2
No. 4 Michael Flowers (MSU) def. Chaitu Malempati (IOWA) 6-4, 6-4
No. 5 Brett Taylor (IOWA) def. Joseph McWilliams (MSU) 6-1, 6-4
No. 6 Scott Rasmussen (MSU) def. Kyle Markham (IOWA) 7-6 (7-3), 4-6, 1-0 (10-7)

Doubles:
No. 1 #41 Rinks/Monich (MSU) def. Taylor/Ritchie (IOWA) 9-8 (7-3)
No. 2 Allare/McWilliams (MSU) def. Malempati/van Monsjou (IOWA) 8-6
No. 3 Bieirch/Aaron Schaechterle(IOWA) def. Rasmussen/Flowers (MSU) 8-6