May 14, 2004

WACO, Texas - The Baylor men's tennis team extended its win streak to 19 matches with a 4-0 victory over Manhattan College in the first round of the NCAA Men's Tennis Championships on Friday night at the Baylor Tennis Center in Waco, Texas.

The victory raised the second-ranked Bears season record to 27-2 while Manhattan College ended its season at 14-5. Baylor advances to the second round (Saturday, 7 p.m.) where they will face 35th-ranked SMU, a 4-0 winner over No. 28 Georgia Tech.

The Bears took the doubles point by winning at courts two and three by identical 8-2 scores. Benjamin Becker and Matias Marin, ranked No. 22, won their 15th consecutive match, defeating Zoltan Bus and Erez Cohen. Reiner Neurohr and Ivor Lovrak extended their win streak to nine matches with a win over Diego Alvarado and Nicholas Gravagna.

In singles the Bears swept courts four, five and six for the 10th time this season. Freshman Matija Zgaga, playing at No. 4, raised his season record to 29-6 with his two-set victory over David Alvarado and senior Reiner Neurohr posted his eighth straight win with a 6-1, 6-2 triumph at the five position. Ivor Lovrak clinched the win for the Bears with a 6-1, 6-3 victory at No. 6. Lovrak has now won 12 straight matches and is 13-0 at the No. 6 spot.

#2 Baylor 4, Manhattan 0

Singles
Order of finish: 4, 5, 6
1. #2 Benedikt Dorsch (BU) vs. Zoltan Bus (MC) DNF
2. #15 Benjamin Becker (BU) vs. Erez Cohen (MC) DNF
3. #106 Matias Marin (BU) vs. Diego Alvarado (MC) DNF
4. #113 Matija Zgaga (BU) def. David Alvarado (MC) 6-0, 6-2
5. Reiner Neurohr (BU) def. Nicholas Gravagna (MC) 6-1, 6-2
6. #119 Ivor Lovrak (BU) def. Alon Cohen (MC) 6-1, 6-3

Doubles
Order of finish: 2, 3
1. #20 Dorsch/Zgaga (BU vs. Bus/E. Cohen (MC) DNF
2. #22 Becker/Marin (BU) def. A. Cohen/Klim Fedosienko (MC) 8-2
3. Lovrak/Neurohr (BU) def. Diego Alvarado/Gravagna (MC) 8-2