Match Preview: Men's Tennis vs. Lamar
1/30/2001 12:00:00 AM | Men's Tennis
Jan. 30, 2001
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#15 Baylor (0-2) vs. Lamar (0-1)
Wednesday, Jan. 31, 2001, 2 p.m.
Coming off a pair of tough road losses to top-20 teams, the 15th-ranked Bears return to more comfortable surroundings as they host unranked Lamar on Wednesday. The match is scheduled for 2 p.m. at the Streich Tennis Courts, where the Bears have won 20 consecutive matches, dating back to the final match of the 1998 season.
The Cardinals began the week with an 0-1 record, having lost 7-0 at Rice on Friday in their season opener. Lamar travels to Louisiana-Lafayette Tuesday before facing the Bears on Wednesday.
Last season, the Bears beat Lamar 7-1 in Waco. Playing with an experimental system, the Bears swept doubles to gain two points, then won five of six singles matches to claim the victory.
Senior all-American Mark Williams will not be available for the match, due to an injury suffered Saturday at Mississippi State.
Team notes:
The No. 15 ranking to open the spring is the team's lowest ranking at any point since February 1999, when they were ranked No. 19... The Bears have not been out of the top 20 since finishing the 1998 season ranked 26th... After losing the first two matches of the season, the Bears are 0-2 for the first time since 1992... The Baylor men have won 20 matches in a row at home, dating back to April 17, 1998, when the Bears lost to Texas A&M in the final match of the regular season.
Individual notes:
Head Coach Matt Knoll: 81-48 in his sixth season, 73-32 at Baylor (in his fifth season).
Csongor Bibza: Ranks fifth in school history in career singles wins (42)... Sixth in the Baylor record book in career doubles wins (60), eight behind fifth-place Johannes Michalsky... Advanced to the B Singles quarterfinals of the Rice Invitational (1/19-1/20).
Reiner Neurohr: With Mark Williams, earned a doubles ranking at No. 20 before ever playing a collegiate match... The two backed that up with an 8-3 record in the fall, earning a No. 4 national ranking in the December listing... Neurohr also earned his first career singles ranking in December at No. 91.
Sean O'Connor: Already has two four-match win streaks this year (9/24-9/29, 10/28-10/29)... Advanced to the B Singles quarterfinals of the Rice Invitational (1/19-1/20).
Zoltan Papp: Had a pre-fall ranking of No. 41, but dropped out of the poll after missing the fall due to injury (ACL tear)... Should be ready to go early in the season.
Cory Ross: Won four straight singles matches (9/23-9/29)... Will team with Csongor Bibza at No. 3 doubles, the pair was 5-1 in the fall and advanced to the quarterfinals of the ITA Region VI Tournament... Advanced to the C Singles Semifinals at the Rice Invitational (1/19-1/20).
Mark Williams: Ranks second in school history with 81 career singles wins, 13 wins behind record-holder Johann Jooste, and is second in career doubles wins (73), six behind David Hodge... With Reiner Neurohr, was ranked the No. 4 doubles team in the nation in December... Earned his first career singles ranking in September (No. 68), but dropped to No. 92 in December... Suffered an injury against Mississippi State (1/27) which will force him to miss Wednesday's match against Lamar.
