March 10, 2007

(San Diego, CA) - The USD men's tennis team (4-6), ranked 72nd in the latest ITA/Fila Rankings, played an inspired match against the visiting Rice Owls (10-4), but came up short in the end and dropped a hard-fought 4-3 decision. USD junior Thomas Liversage dealt senior Ben Harknett, the 25th-ranked player in the nation, his first dual match loss this spring with a 6-4, 4-6, 6-1 win at No. 1 singles. The Toreros also earned singles wins at No. 3 by Chris Coetzee, a 6-3, 6-1 winner over Filip Paroci, and at No. 6 singles as Matt Ozurovich handed Jason Mok a 6-1, 6-4 loss. Rice earned the all-important doubles point as they swept all three matches despite two tightly contested matches at No. 1 and No. 2. Liversage and Coetzee lost 8-6 at No. 1, while Jonas Mouly and Charl Wolmarans dropped a close 9-8 (7-4) decision at No. 2. USD returns to the courts on Monday when they host the 12th-ranked North Carolina Tar Heels.

#17 RICE 4, #72 SAN DIEGO 3

Doubles
1. Knupfer/Scheil (Rice) df. Liversage/Coetzee; 8-6
2. Muller/Mok (Rice) df. Mouly/Wolmarans; 9-8 (7-4 tiebreaker)
3. Harknett/Paroci (Rice) df. Ozurovich/Brown; 8-4
Rice wins the doubles point

Singles
1. Thomas Liversage (USD) df. (25) Ben Harknett; 6-4, 4-6, 6-1
2. Ralph Knupfer (Rice) df. Jonas Mouly; 0-6, 6-3, 4-1 retired
3. Chris Coetzee (USD) df. Filip Paroci; 6-3, 6-1
4. Christoph Muller (Rice) df. Ryo Sekiguchi; 6-4, 6-2
5. Filip Zivojinovic (Rice) df. Charl Wolmarans; 6-1, 6-2
6. Matt Ozurovich (USD) df. Jason Mok; 6-1, 6-4

Records: #17 Rice (10-4), #72 San Diego (4-6)