Feb. 3, 2012
IOWA CITY –The University of Iowa men’s tennis team fell to Arkansas in Iowa’s home opener Friday at the Hawkeye Tennis and Recreation Complex. The Razorbacks (4-0) defeated Iowa (1-3) 6-1.
“This was a pretty average match for us at best,” said head coach Steve Houghton. “The reality is that against an SEC team you have to be on top of your game and play better than this to win.”
Junior Garret Dunn provided the lone singles victory for the Hawkeyes, competing in the No. 5 position. The Tempe, Ariz., native defeated Arkansas’ Jovan Parlic in three sets; 6-4, 3-6, 6-1.
Sophomore Jonas Dierckx and freshman Matt Hagan continued their hot streak in doubles, winning their seventh consecutive match. Dierckx and Hagan opened the match with an 8-4 win against the Razorbacks’ Nikolas Zogaj and Gregoire Lehman in No. 2 doubles.
After falling in an early deficit, junior Garret Dunn and Michael Swank stormed back to take a 6-5 lead in No. 1 doubles. Arkansas would come back, though, as Matt Walters and Hall Fess won the match 8-6. Seniors Will Vasos and Tom Mroziewicz also made a comeback in No. 3 doubles, but it wouldn’t be enough as Manfred Jeske and Mike Nott won 8-6 to give Arkansas the doubles point.
Iowa will be back in action on Sunday at the HTRC with a contest against No. 66 DePaul. Start time is set for 1 p.m. (CT).
Arkansas 6, Iowa 1
Singles
No. 1 – Gregoire Lehman (Ark.) def. Will Vasos (IOWA) 6-4, 6-3
No. 2 – Nikolas Zogaj (Ark.) def. Jonas Dierckx (IOWA) 7-5, 2-0 ret.
No. 3 – Matt Walters (Ark.) def. Matt Hagan (IOWA) 6-2, 6-1
No. 4 – Manfred Jeske (Ark.) def. Tom Mroziewicz (IOWA) 6-4, 6-3
No. 5 – Garret Dunn (IOWA) def. Jovan Parlic (IOWA) 6-4, 3-6, 6-1
No. 6 – Mike Ward (Ark.) def. Mitch Beckert (IOWA) 6-1, 6-4
Order of finish: 3, 6, 2, 4, 1, 5
Doubles
No. 1 – Matt Walters/Hall Fess (Ark) def. Dunn/Michael Swank (IOWA) 8-6
No. 2 – Dierckx/Hagan (IOWA) def. Zogaj/Lehman (Ark.) 8-4
No. 3 – Jeske/Mike Nott (Ark.) def. Vasos/Mroziewicz (IOWA) 8-6
Order of finish: 2, 1, 3