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The University of Mississippi Athletics
Ole Miss
Middle Tennessee State
Men's Tennis Downs Middle Tennessee 6-1
2/16/2003 | Men's Tennis
Feb. 16, 2003
OXFORD, Miss. - The No. 5 nationally-ranked Ole Miss men's tennis team downed 51st-ranked Middle Tennessee (1-5) 6-1 Sunday afternoon at the Gillom Sports Center to run their record to 4-0, as they get set to face some of the nation's top teams next weekend.
The Rebels got on the board first by sweeping the doubles with 8-2 victories at the top two spots and an 8-6 win at the No. 3 position. Ole Miss is now 20-0 when they win the doubles point dating back to last season.
In singles, 34th-ranked Catalin Gard gave Ole Miss a 2-0 lead when he downed 92nd-ranked Kirk Jackson 6-3, 6-2 at No. 2 singles. Paul Ciorascu, ranked No. 18 in the nation, defeated MT's Greg Pollack 7-5, 6-4 on court three to make it 3-0 Rebels.
In a battle between two senior All-Americans, Ole Miss'Alex Hartman, ranked No. 24 in singles, continued his outstanding play of late, knocking off third-ranked Daniel Klemetz 6-4, 6-1 at the top spot to clinch the Rebel victory. Klemetz won the All-American Championships (first grand slam event of the year) in the fall. Hartman has now won eight of his last nine matches.
"Year after year, Middle Tennessee has a very competitive team," head coach Billy Chadwick said. "This team is similar to the Middle Tennessee team we beat in the second round of the NCAAs last year. Our team was ready to play. We did an excellent job of avoiding a letdown after a big win over Mississippi State last Thursday. Now we've our sights set on the National Team Indoor."
Claes Lindholm took care of business at No. 4 singles, quickly handing Michael Staniak a 6-0, 6-2 loss, and then Patrick Chucri won a third-set supertiebreaker in a 6-4, 3-6, 1-0(6) win over Rishan Kuruppu at the No. 5 spot, to make it 6-0 Rebels.
Middle Tennessee' only win of the day came at No. 6 singles, where Anant Sitarim came back to beat Karim Alayli 4-6, 6-3, 1-0(8).
The Rebels now turn their attention to the USTA/ITA National Team Indoor that begins Thursday, Feb. 17 and concludes on Sunday, Feb. 20. The Rebels open up the 16-team tournament against Texas A&M.
#5 Ole Miss 6
#51 Middle Tennessee 1
SINGLES
#1 Alex Hartman (OM) def. Daniel Klemetz (MT) 6-4, 6-1
#2 Catalin Gard (OM) def. Kirk Jackson (MT) 6-3, 6-2
#3 Paul Ciorascu (OM) def. Greg Pollack (MT) 7-5, 6-4
#4 Claes Lindholm (OM) def. Michael Staniak (MT) 6-0, 6-2
#5 Patrick Chucri (OM) def. Rishan Kuruppu (MT) 6-4, 3-6, 1-0(6)
#6 Anant Sitarim (MT) def. Karim Alayli (OM) 4-6, 6-3, 1-0(8)
DOUBLES
#1 Hartman-Lindholm (OM) def. Klemetz-Jackson (MT) 8-2
#2 Gard-Ciorascu (OM) def. Staniak-Kuruppu (MT) 8-2
#3 Chucri-Alayli (OM) def. Pollack-Brandon Allan (MT) 8-6
