Jan. 31, 2003

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - The 23rd-ranked Wake Forest men's tennis team opened up its dual match season with a 6-1 victory over No. 71 East Tennessee State Friday evening at the Wake Forest Indoor Tennis Center. The Demon Deacons swept doubles play to take an early lead and then captured five of six singles matches from the Buccaneers, winning four in straight sets.

The Demon Deacons' top doubles team, David Loewenthal and Trent Brendon, upset the 45th-ranked ETSU tandem, Alejandro Salazar and Diego Iglesias, 8-5. Loewenthal, David Bere, Derrick Spice and Brett Ross all finished off their singles opponents in straight sets and Mike Murray rallied to win in three. Ross, a true freshman playing in the number six position, won the deciding match with his 6-2, 6-0 victory.

Wake Forest improves to 1-0 on the season with the win and ETSU falls to 2-2 with the loss. The Demon Deacons return to action tomorrow when they host No. 69 Old Dominion at the Indoor Tennis Center following the Wake Forest women's team 11:00 a.m. match with Yale.

#23 Wake Forest 6, #71 East Tennessee State 1
Singles
1. #35 David Loewenthal (WFU) def. Marcos Pavlovich (ETSU) 6-2, 6-1
2. #109 Mike Murray (WFU) def. Diego Iglesias (ETSU) 4-6, 6-4, 2-0 (inj.)
3. David Bere (WFU) def. Federico Oehoa (ETSU) 6-3, 6-2
4. Alejandro Salazar (ETSU) def. #123 Trent Brendon (WFU) 6-4, 3-6, 6-4
5. Derrick Spice (WFU) def. Moises Serrano (ETSU) 6-3, 6-0
6. Brett Ross (WFU) def. Fernando Fiuri (ETSU) 6-2, 6-0
Doubles
1. David Loewenthal/Trent Brendon (WFU) def. #45 Diego Iglesias/Alejandro Salazar (ETSU) 8-5
2. Derrick Spice/Brett Ross (WFU) def. Moises Serrano/Federico Oehoa (ETSU) 8-3
3. Mike Murray/Andrew Simpson (WFU) def. Marcos Pavlovich/Fernando Fiuri (ETSU) 8-5