March 8, 2002

WACO, Texas - In a midseason clash between Top 10 ranked teams, No. 9 Pepperdine defeated No. 8 Baylor by a final score of 5-2 on Friday afternoon at the Ralphs-Straus Tennis Center in Malibu, Calif.

The Bears lost for the first time this season and are now 9-1, while the Waves improved to 10-3 in dual match action.

Pepperdine gained the early momentum by winning the doubles point. Seniors Sebastien Graeff and Stefan Suter captured the clinching match at the No. 1 spot with an 8-6 win over freshman Benjamin Becker and sophomore Markus Hornung.

The Waves then proceeded to win four of the six singles matches, each of them in straight sets.

Baylor evened the match at 1-1 when junior Zoltan Papp defeated Steve Racioppi by scores of 6-1, 6-1 at No. 3 singles, but the Waves won the next four matches to secure the victory. Pepperdine has won 20 straight home matches. Matias Marin was Baylor's only other winner, taking his match at No. 5 singles 6-4, 6-7, 6-4.

Baylor returns to action next Thursday (March 14) evening when the Bears host No. 34 TCU at the Baylor Tennis Center beginning at 6:00 p.m.

Pepperdine (5) vs. Baylor (2)
at Ralphs-Straus Tennis Center, Malibu, California

SINGLES
Al Garland (P) d. Benjamin Becker, 6-2, 6-2
Stefan Suter (P) d. Markus Hornung, 6-3, 6-3
Zoltan Papp (B) d. Steve Racioppi, 6-1, 6-1
Calle Hansen (P) d. Reiner Neurohr, 6-4, 6-4
Matias Marin (B) d. Johan Berg, 6-4, 6-7, 6-4
Diego Acuna (P) d. Nathan McGregor, 6-1, 6-3

DOUBLES
Graeff / Suter (P) d. Becker / Hornung, 8-6
Berg / Garland (P) d. McGregor / Papp, 8-3
Marin / Neurohr (B) d. Hansen / Brian Wright, 8-4

Baylor: 9-1 / Ranked No. 8
Pepperdine: 10-3 / Ranked No. 9