March 31, 2001

Winston-Salem, N.C. -

In a hotly contested match that lasted five hours and required a venue change due to weather, the Wake Forest men's tennis team defeated Virginia Tech, 4-3 on Saturday afternoon. The win gives the Demon Deacons their 10th victory of the season, as they improve to 10-6 on the season. Virginia Tech falls to 9-7 overall.

The Hokies picked up the first point of the match, gaining the doubles point with wins at No. 2 and 3 doubles. The Wake Forest duo of senior Raul Munoz (Mexico City, Mex.) and junior Justin Kaufmann (Mission Hills, Kan.), playing together for the first time this season, won 8-5 at No. 1 doubles. But the Hokies' Andreas Laulund and Andrew Vu won 8-5 at No. 2 doubles, while Jay Bruner and Michael Kurz came from behind to win 8-6 at No. 3 to give their team the doubles point.

Wake Forest tied it up at 1-1 when sophomore Mike Murray (St. Petersburg, Fla.), playing at No. 1 singles for the first time this season, defeated Davor Dupljak, 2-6, 6-0, 6-0 at the top spot. At No. 4 singles, Virginia Tech's Bruner topped Wake sophomore David Bere' (Midland, Mich.), 6-0, 7-5. But the Deacs evened the match again at two points apiece when freshman David Loewenthal (Franklin Lakes, N.J.) won 7-5, 6-4 over Kurz at No. 3 singles.

With a threatening thunderstorm rapidly approaching, the teams moved from Leighton Tennis Stadium to the Indoor Tennis Center. Shortly after the move, Virginia Tech went up 3-2 with a win at No. 5 singles as Laulund defeated Deacon sophomore Trent Brendon (Victorville, Calif.) in three sets, 7-5, 2-6, 6-4. Wake's Munoz then forced the third tie of the match, winning the No. 2 singles contest over Francis Huot, 6-7, 6-4, 6-4. Munoz served up two aces in the final game en route to the victory.

The match then hinged on No. 6 singles, where Wake's Kaufmann faced Virginia Tech's Saber Kadiri. Kaufmann won the first set, 6-2, but Kadiri took the second set by the same score. Kaufmann then battled back from a 2-1 deficit in the third set to win 6-3, sealing the match victory on an ace.

The men's tennis team returns to action on Sunday, April 1, when they host William & Mary at 12 noon. The match will take place at Leighton Tennis Stadium, or in the case of inclement weather, at the Indoor Tennis Center.

#49 Wake Forest 4, #68 Virginia Tech 3
March 31, 2001 * Leighton Tennis Stadium/Indoor Tennis Center * Winston-Salem, N.C.
Singles
1- Mike Murray (WF) def. Davor Dupljak (VT), 2-6, 6-0, 6-0
2- Raul Munoz (WF) def. Francis Huot (VT), 6-7, 6-4, 6-4
3- David Loewenthal (WF) def. Michael Kurz (VT), 7-5, 6-4
4- Jay Bruner (VT) def. David Bere' (WF), 6-0, 7-5
5- Andreas Laulund (VT) def. Trent Brendon (WF), 7-5, 2-6, 6-4
6- Justin Kaufmann (WF) def. Saber Kadiri (VT), 6-2, 2-6, 6-3

Doubles
1- Munoz/Kaufmann (WF) def. Dupljak/Huot (VT), 8-5
2- Laulund/Andrew Vu (VT) def. Murray/Bere' (WF), 8-5
3- Bruner/Kurz (VT) def. Brendon/Loewenthal (WF), 8-6