Men's Tennis Earns Comeback Win Over Eastern Illinois

Thursday, April 6

Murray, Ky.

2:30 p.m.

Murray State

Eastern Illinois University

4/6/2006 5:00:00 AM | Men's Tennis

Hunter Gerlach's come from behind three-set win gave the Murray State University men's tennis team a 4-3 win over Eastern Illinois University today in a match that began outdoors at the Bennie Purcell Tennis Courts and finished indoors at KenLake State Resort Park. The Racers fell behind 3-2 before winning the final two singles matches to pull out the victory.

MSU improves to 3-1 in Ohio Valley Conference play and 5-7 overall. The Panthers fall to 2-4 in the OVC and 8-8 overall.

Eastern Illinois took an early 1-0 advantage by winning two of the three doubles matches and claiming the doubles point. Vuk Milicevic and Jordan Nestrud beat MSU's Clayton Clark and Nicholas Ksiezopolski, 8-6, at number three doubles and then EIU clinched the doubles point with Chris Thomas and Sean Bush's 8-6 victory at number two doubles over Hunter Gerlach and Jeff Lester. Murray State posted a win at number one doubles.

Fadi Zamjaoui and Dmytro Hryhorash put the Racers in front 2-1 with a pair of straight set victories to start singles play. Zamjaoui beat Charles Levaque, 6-1 and 6-2, at number one singles. Hryhorash took out Milicevic at number two singles, 6-1 and 6-1.

The Panthers went back on top 3-2 with wins at number three and four singles. Thomas downed Yuri Pompeu at number four singles, 6-4 and 6-3, and then Brandon Lenfert beat Ksiezopolski at number three singles 6-3 and 6-4.

Jeff Lester's 6-4 and 6-3 win over Nestrud at number six singles tied the match at 3-3 and left the number five singles match as the deciding factor. The win was the eighth straight for Lester.

Bush took the first set 6-4 over Gerlach at number five singles. However, Gerlach would come back and lose just four games over the next two sets. The sophomore won the second set 6-3 and took a 4-0 lead in the third set before rain interrupted the match.

The teams moved to the indoor facility at nearby KenLake State Resort Park in Aurora, Ky., to determine the match winner. Gerlach finished off Bush inside, winning the third set 6-1.

The Racers will be back in action on Friday when they play host to Samford University, at 2:30 p.m., at the Bennie Purcell Tennis Courts on the MSU campus.

Tennis Match Results
Murray State University vs Eastern Illinois University
Apr. 6, 2006 at Murray, Ky. (Bennie Purcell Tennis Courts)

Murray State 4, Eastern Illinois 3

Doubles competition:
1. Fadi Zamjaoui/Dmytro Hryhorash (MUR) def. Charles Levaque/Brandon Lenfert (EIU) 8-6
2. Chris Thomas/Sean Bush (EIU) def. Hunter Gerlach/Jeff Lester (MUR) 8-6
3. Vuk Milicevic/Jordan Nestrud (EIU) def. Clayton Clark/Nicholas Ksiezopolski (MUR) 8-6

Singles competition:
1. Fadi Zamjaoui (MUR) def. Charles Levaque (EIU) 6-1, 6-2
2. Dmytro Hryhorash (MUR) def. Vuk Milicevic (EIU) 6-1, 6-1
3. Brandon Lenfert (EIU) def. Nicholas Ksiezopolski (MUR) 6-3, 6-4
4. Chris Thomas (EIU) def. Yuri Pompeu (MUR) 6-4, 6-3
5. Hunter Gerlach (MUR) def. Sean Bush (EIU) 4-6, 6-3, 6-1
6. Jeff Lester (MUR) def. Jordan Nestrud (EIU) 6-4, 6-3