April 29, 2005

AUSTIN, Texas - The top-ranked Baylor men's tennis team won its first match in the 2005 Big 12 Tournament hosted by the University of Texas at the Penick-Alison Tennis Center on Friday. The Bears handed Nebraska a 4-0 loss and advanced to Saturday's tournament semifinals where they will face Texas at 2:30 p.m.

The victory raised the Bears' record to 26-0 and extended their school-record win streak to 50 matches while Nebraska dropped to 9-15. Baylor will play Texas on Saturday at 2:30 p.m.

In doubles, Baylor needed just 25 minutes to gain its first point of the match. Benedikt Dorsch and Matija Zgaga swept past Nebraska's Joel Recekwey and Jerry Posch at No. 1, 8-1. Just a minute later Lars Poerschke and Michal Kokta won on court two 8-1, downing Nebraska's Joerg Barthel and Jose Rivera. BU's Benjamin Becker and Vladimir Portnov were up 6-3 on their Husker opponent when play was suspended.

Sophomore Michal Kokta earned the Bears' first singles point with a 6-4, 6-2 win over Jose Rivera at No. 4. On court six freshman Vladimir Portnov disposed of Joe Reckewey 6-3, 6-2 and Benedikt Dorsch finished off the match for Baylor with a 6-4, 6-4 win over Jerry Posch .

"After a week's layoff it was great to play again. We were businesslike, we came and did what we needed to do. We're looking forward to our semifinal match ," said head coach Matt Knoll.

#1 Baylor 4, Nebraska 0
Doubles
Order of finish: 1, 2
1. Dorsch/Zgaga (BU) def. Reckewey/Posch (NU) 8-1
2. Poerschke/Kokta (BU) def. Barthel/Rivera (NU) 8-1
3. Becker/Vladimir Portnov (BU) vs. Szatmary/Clow (NU) DNF

Singles Order of finish: 4, 6, 1
1. Benedikt Dorsch (BU) def. Jerry Posch (NU) 6-4, 6-4
2. Benjamin Becker (BU) vs. Adrian Szatmary (NU) DNF
3. Lars Poerschke (BU) vs. James Clow (NU) DNF
4. Michal Kokta (BU) def. Jose Rivera (NU) 6-4, 6-2
5. Matija Zgaga (BU) vs. Joerg Barthel (NU) DNF
6. Vladimir Portnov (BU) def. Joel Reckewey (NU) 6-3, 6-2