Feb. 15, 2003

RICHMOND, Va. - The Wake Forest men's tennis team bounced back from a 5-2 loss at Virginia Commonwealth yesterday with a 4-3 upset win over No. 10 Minnesota Saturday afternoon at VCU's Thalhimer Tennis Center. The 20th-ranked Demon Deacons swept doubles play to take an early 1-0 lead and then split the six singles matches with the Golden Gophers to capture the 4-3 victory, giving Minnesota its first loss of the season.

David Loewenthal and Trent Brendon teamed up to upset Minnesota's 49th-ranked pair Thomas Haug and Avery Ticer 9-8 (3) at No. 1 doubles. Wake Forest's Mike Murray and Derrick Spice outlasted Manuel Lievano and Clay Estes 8-6 in the No. 2 doubles match, while Brett Ross and David Bere fought past Minnesota's Chris Wettengel and Aleksey Zharinov 9-7 at No. 3 doubles.

Murray and Brendon won their singles matches in straight sets, as Murray handed Manuel Lievano a 6-3, 6-4 loss at No. 4, while Brendon secured the Deacon's victory at No. 6 singles with a 6-2, 6-3 win over Clay Estes at No. 6.

Wake Forest improves to 5-1 with the win and Minnesota falls to 7-1 with the loss. The Demon Deacons return to action next weekend when they travel to Providence, R.I., to take on No. 56 Brown Feb. 22 at 1:00 p.m.

#20 Wake Forest 4, #10 Minnesota 3

Singles
1. #54 Thomas Haug (UM) def. #35 David Loewenthal (WFU) 6-4, 6-4
2. #58 Aleksey Zharinov (UM) def. David Bere (WFU) 6-2, 6-1
3. Chris Wettengel (UM) def. Derrick Spice (WFU) 7-5, 6-1
4. #109 Mike Murray (WFU) def. Manuel Lievano (UM) 6-3, 6-4
5. Brett Ross (WFU) def. Avery Ticer (UM) 0-6, 6-4, 7-5
6. #123 Trent Brendon (WFU) def. Clay Estes (UM) 6-2, 6-3
Doubles
1. Loewenthal/Brendon (WFU) def. #49 Haug/Ticer (UM) 9-8 (3)
2. Murray/Spice (WFU) def. Lievano/Estes (UM) 8-6
3. Ross/Bere (WFU) def. Wettengel/Zharinov (UM) 9-7