The University of Mississippi Athletics
Ole Miss
Arkansas-Little Rock
Rebel Netters Down Arkansas-Little Rock
2/3/2001 | Men's Tennis
Feb. 3, 2001
OXFORD, Miss. - The No. 10 nationally-ranked Ole Miss men's tennis team downed 52nd-ranked Arkansas-Little Rock 7-0, Saturday afternoon at the Gillom Sports Center, to begin the 2001 season.
Ole Miss struggled early in doubles, but came back to take the point with a thrilling tiebreaker at No. 2 doubles. UALR won at No. 1 doubles, and Ole Miss took the third position. Sophomores Alex Hartman and Patrick Chucri battled back in their match against Luciano Diez and Alexei Poutchinets to win 9-8(4), giving the Rebels the point.
"Doubles is an area that we know we're going to have to work on," head coach Billy Chadwick said. "It was great to win the tiebreaker under pressure. It will definitely help us in future matches."
In singles, the Rebels came out firing in the first three matches and never let up. On court three, Kristofer Stahlberg downed Juan Carlos Baca 6-1, 6-3. Hartman cruised to a 6-2, 6-3 win over UALR's Domencio Marra at No. 2 singles. Senior James Shortall clinched the victory, by defeating Mariano Pettigrosso in straight sets, 6-4, 6-4 at the top spot.
Freshmen Conor Casey and Paul Ciorascu, playing in their first collegiate dual match, looked like they had been playing for awhile. Ciorascu defeated Poutchinets 6-4, 6-2 at No. 4 singles, and Casey beat Jarrad Bunt 6-0, 6-4 at No. 6 singles. Rounding out the scoring, Chucri handed Diez a 6-3, 6-4 loss at No. 5 singles.
"I like what I see so far in this team," Chadwick said. "They (UALR) were strong at 4, 5 and 6, and we did a good job at those positions with our young guys. We saw some things to work on in this match, but give us time. We will get there."
The Rebels will host the University of Memphis Tuesday at 2:30 p.m., before meeting arch-rival Mississippi State in the fourth River Hills Mississippi Cup, Thursday in Jackson. For tickets to the Mississippi Cup, call 601-987-4455.
#10 Ole Miss 7
#52 UALR 0
SINGLES
#1 James Shortall (OM) def. Mariano Pettigrosso (UALR) 6-4, 6-4
#2 Alex Hartman (OM) def. Domencio Marra (UALR) 6-2, 6-3
#3 Kristofer Stahlberg (OM) def. Juan Carlos Baca (UALR) 6-1, 6-3
#4 Paul Ciorascu (OM) def. Alexei Poutchinets (UALR) 6-4, 6-2
#5 Patrick Chucri (OM) def. Luciano Diez (UALR) 6-3, 6-4
#6 Conor Casey (OM) def. Jarrad Bunt (UALR) 6-0, 6-4
DOUBLES
#1 Pettigrosso-Marra (UALR) def. Shortall-Casey (OM) 8-4
#2 Hartman-Chucri (OM) def. Diez-Poutchinets (UALR) 9-8(4)
#3 Stahlberg-Ciorascu (OM) def. Bunt-Baca (UALR) 8-5
