Men?s Tennis Holds Off No. 6 Seed Texas Tech, 4-3

WACO, Texas ? For the first time since the 1996-97 season, the University of Colorado men’s tennis team have advanced to the Big 12 Tennis Championship semifinals, holding off No. 6 seed Texas Tech, 4-3, Friday afternoon in the quarterfinal round of the Big 12 Tennis Championships hosted by the University of Baylor.

Colorado (19-7), ranked No. 25 nationally defeated the Red Raiders (13-11) in one of the longest matches in recorded memory, 8 hours, 5 minutes. It’s also the second time in a week CU has defeated TTU by identical 4-3 scores. The win by CU in the quarterfinal round of the conference tournament is the first since 1996-97 (10 years).

The Buffaloes advance to Saturday’s semifinal against No. 2 seed and No. 4 nationally ranked Texas (20-3) beginning at noon. The Longhorns defeated the Buffs back on April 9, 5-2.

"Texas Tech was fantastic. They knew they needed a win to get in the tournament and they gave it their all," said CU head coach Sam Winterbotham. "It was a very spirited match. Coming out with the energy that we did after eight hours epitomized the season for us. It’s been like that the whole year, I’m so proud of them."

Due to the severe weather in the Waco area, the singles portion was played first with both teams splitting the singles portion. Tallying singles wins for CU were Eric Molnar (No. 1), Marko Bundalo (No. 3) and Marek Dvorak (No. 6).

Molnar won his 25^th singles match of the year (13^th of the spring) upsetting No. 51 Adrian Prpic 6-4, 4-6, 6-4. It was Molnar’s second straight win over Prpic in the last six days. He has won eight of his last 10 matches and is currently the highest CU player nationally ranked at No. 59.

Bundalo rallied at No. 3 winning in three sets over Christian Rojmar 2-6, 6-1, 6-3 for his 18^th win of the year and 15^th of the spring; and Dvorak picked up his 25^th match winner and 17^th of the spring defeating Teddy DiBlasi for the second time in a week with a three-set victory, 7-6(4), 1-6, 6-4.

It was Dvorak, who evened the team score at three sending the match into the decisive doubles competition.

By winning their 25^th singles match of the year, Dvorak and Molnar join fellow teammate Peter Bjork (27 wins) as the only trio in school history from the same year with at least 25 triumphs. Bjork is tied for second all-time, followed by Dvorak and Molnar in sixth place.

In doubles, CU clinched the team victory with one of its strengths, winning the doubles for the 12^th time in as many attempts at the No. 1 and No. 2 spots.

At No. 1, Bundalo/Molnar broke a 2-2 tie racing out to an 8-3 winner over Prpic and Christian Rojmar, 8-3. It was their ninth win of the season, sixth of their last 10; and at No. 2, the team of Chad Tsuda/Geoffrey Chizever, playing together for the first time all year, broke a 2-2 tie and jumped out to a commanding 7-2 advantage and subsequently won, 8-4.

CU also improves to 5-2 in matches decided by 4-3 decisions.

The Buffaloes has won 10 of its last 12 matches since the conference season began back on March 26. Their only losses have been to No. 3 ranked Texas and No. 6 Baylor.

The Big 12 Men’s Tennis Championships are scheduled through Sunday at the Baylor Tennis Center in Waco, Texas. Baylor (2002-05), Texas (1997, 1999) and Texas A&M (1998, 2000-01) have combined to win all nine of the previous men’s league postseason championships.

Live updates of all matches can be found on Baylor’s official athletic website, www.BaylorBears.com. Log on to the 2006 Big 12 Championships link in the top right corner of the front page.

No. 25 Colorado 4, No. 50 Texas Tech 3

CU (19-7), TTU (13-11)

April 28, Waco, Texas, Big 12 Tennis Championships, Quarterfinals

1d) Bundalo/Molnar (CU) def. Prpic/Rojmar 8-3

2d) Tsuda/Geoffrey Chizever (CU) def. Martinez/Breler 8-4

3d) Dvorak/Bjork (CU) vs. DiBlasi/Markovic (TTU) ? did not finish

1s) (59) Eric Molnar (CU) def. (51) Adrian Prpic 6-4, 4-6, 6-4

2s) Dimitrio Martinez (TTU) def. (125) Peter Bjork 6-0, 4-6, 6-1

3s) Marko Bundalo (CU) def. Christian Rojmar 2-6, 6-1, 6-3

4s) Sinisa Markovic (TTU) def. Jan Zelezny 2-6, 6-2, 7-5

5s) Michael Breler (TTU) Chad Tsuda 7-6(1), 6-4

6s) Marek Dvorak (CU) Teddy DiBlasi 7-6(4), 1-6, 6-4