Men's Tennis falls to fifth-ranked Illinois
URBANA, Ill. -- The 34th-ranked University of Texas men's tennis team dropped its first match of the season to fifth-ranked Illinois in a 5-2 decision on Saturday, Feb. 5 at the Atkins Tennis Center. Junior Callum Beale (Adelaide, Australia) and freshman Milan Mihailovic (Nis, Serbia) improve their dual singles records to 3-0 after posting victories over the Fighting Illini. The match began with Illinois clinching the doubles point with victories at Nos. 1 and 2. Beale and junior Roger Gubser (Laredo, Texas) were defeated 8-6 at the top of the lineup while sophomore Garrett Snyder (Newport Beach, Calif.) and freshman Luis Diaz Barriga (Cordoba, Mexico) were handled 8-3 at the second spot. Texas' lone doubles victory came at the No. 3 position where sophomore Hubert Chodkiewicz (Corpus Christi, Texas) and freshman Travis Helgeson (Overland Park, Kan,) recorded an 8-6 advantage over Monte Tucker and Evan Zeder. The Longhorns (2-1) looked to rebound with multiple victories in singles, but the strength of Illinois' lineup proved to be a tough match. Helgeson faced Ryler DeHeart, the second-ranked player in the nation, at the No. 1 spot and was defeated in straight sets 6-2, 6-4. At the third position, Gubser dropped the first set, but battled back in the second only to lose in a tie-breaker 7-5, 6-7 (6), 10-3 to Kevin Anderson. Chodkiewicz and Diaz Barriga also suffered losses in singles at the bottom of the lineup. Chodkiewicz lost 6-3, 6-2 at No. 5 and Diaz Barriga was defeated 7-5, 6-1 at the sixth spot. Texas' two points were recorded by Mihailovic and Beale at the fourth and second positions, respectively. Mihailovic defeated Tucker in straight sets 6-4, 7-5 and Beale needed a third set tie-breaker to post a victory over GD Jones 1-6, 7-6 (6), 10-4. The Texas men's tennis team will travel to Tulsa, Okla., on Sunday, Feb. 13 to take on the Golden Hurricanes of Tulsa. No. 5 Illinois 5, No. 34 Texas 2 Doubles
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