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The University of Mississippi Athletics
Ole Miss
ITA National Indoor Championships
Gard Loses First Match Of The Season
11/5/2004 | Men's Tennis
Nov. 5, 2004
ANN ARBOR, Mich. - Ole Miss men's tennis senior Catalin Gard lost his first match of the year, falling to Duke's Ludovic Walter in the second round of the ITA National Intercollegiate Indoor Championships Friday, at Michigan's Varsity Courts.
Walter, who is ranked No. 16 in the nation and is Duke's No. 1 player this year, won the first set in a close affair, 7-5. He used that momentum to take the second 6-1 to snap Gard's unbeaten streak.
"Obviously it's disappointing to lose," assistant coach Jeff Clark said. "You have to credit Ludovic. He served well and played a really good match. The first set was close, but then Ludovic stepped it up in the second. This is one of the toughest tournaments of the year with the nation's best competing. Cat had a great fall, winning the All-American, and we are looking forward to the spring."
Gard, the No. 1 ranked player in the nation and the top seed in the tournament, was trying to become the first player to win the ITA All-American and the National Indoor Championships in the same season.
With the loss, Gard, the 2004 SEC Player of the Year, concludes the fall at 7-1. Gard has won 13 of his last 16 matches dating back to the 2004 season and improved his career record to 83-25 (.769 winning percentage). Gard needs 17 wins in the spring to become only the third Rebel to record 100 victories in a career.
Overall, more than 7,000 players from nearly 600 schools participate annually in the ITA Regional and National Intercollegiate Championships. The National Indoor includes some of the best players in the country with 13 of the Top 25 in this year's 32-player field.
ITA NATIONAL INTERCOLLEGIATE INDOOR CHAMPIONSHIPS - Ann Arbor, Mich.
Singles
Second round - Ludovic Walter (DUKE) def. Catalin Gard (OM) 7-5, 6-1.
