singUniversity of Minnesota senior men's tennis player Avery Ticer (Amarillo, Texas) posted two impressive singles wins over nationally-ranked opponents this weekend in Winston- Salem, N.C. The 31st-ranked Golden Gophers (2-4), meanwhile, went 0-2 in duals against No. 15 Virginia Commonwealth and No. 44 Wake Forest, losing 4-3 and 5-2, respectively. Ticer, ranked 105th in the country, defeated No. 10 Arnaud Lecloerec of Virginia Commonwalth and No. 80 Derrick Spice to improve to 4-1 in the spring season and 11-5 overall.
The Maroon and Gold narrowly upset 15th-ranked Virginia Commonwealth on Saturday, Feb. 12, but the Rams held on to win 4-3 and improve to 9-1 on the season. VCU took a 1-0 lead with two doubles wins to start the dual. Minnesota picked up its lone win with Ticer and Adrien Debreyne's 8-5 victory over Lecloerec and Daniel Lohff.
In singles action, UM earned wins at Nos. 1, 3 and 4, but it was not enough to pull off the upset. Ticer downed Lecloerec, 6-4, 6-2, at No. 1, while Debreyne and Raoul Schwark gained straight-set wins at Nos. 3 and 4.
In today's dual vs. 44th-ranked Wake Forest, Minnesota lost the doubles point, but only captured two singles wins to fall, 5-2. In doubles play, Ticer and Debreyne improved to 3-1 this spring with an 8-6 triumph over 35th-ranked Brett Ross and Derrick Spice.
In singles action, Ticer moved his record to 3-1 vs. ranked opponents with a 6-4, 6-7, (10-5) win over 80th-ranked Spice. Minnesota picked up its only other victory on the day with Sion Wilkins' 6-4, 7-6 (5) win over Liron Strauss.
The Golden Gophers return home to face Oregon on Friday, Feb. 18, at 6:30 p.m., at the Baseline Tennis Center.
#31 Minnesota vs. #15 Virginia Commonwealth
Feb. 12, 2005
Winston-Salem, N.C.
Singles
1. #105 Avery Ticer (MN) def. #10 Arnaud Lecloerec (VCU), 6-4, 6-2
2. Francesc Lleal (VCU) def. Nic Edlefsen (MN), 7-6, 6-4
3. Adrien Debreyne (MN) def. Sergi Arumi (VCU), 7-5, 7-6
4. Raoul Schwark (MN) def. Daniel Lohff (VCU), 6-3, 6-0
5. Sebastian Ripoll (VCU) def. Brian Lipinski (MN), 7-6, 6-4
6. Damien Lacombe (VCU) def. Sion Wilkins (MN), 6-4, 7-6
Doubles
1. Ticer/Debreyne (MN) def. Lecloerec/Lohff (VCU), 8-5
2. Lleal/Arumi (VCU) def. Edfefsen/Lipinski (MN), 8-5
3. Ott/Ripoll (VCU) def. Schwark/Wilkins (MN), 8-6
#15 Virginia Commonwealth def. #31 Minnesota, 4-3
#31 Minnesota at #44 Wake Forest
Feb. 13, 2005
Winston-Salem, N.C.
Singles
1. #105 Avery Ticer (MN) def. #80 Derrick Spice (WF), 6-4, 6-7, (10-5)
2. #74 Todd Paul (WF) def. Nic Edlefsen (MN), 6-3, 6-2
3. Andrew Hamar (WF) def. Adrien Debreyne (MN), 7-6 (6), 6-3
4. #68 Brett Ross (WF) def. Raoul Schwark (MN), 7-6 (6), 6-4
5. Marius Adamski (WF) def. Brian Lipinski (MN), 6-2, 6-0
6. Sion Wilkins (MN) def. Liron Strauss (WF), 6-4, 7-6 (5
Doubles
1. Ticer/Debreyne (MN) def. #35 Spice/Ross (WF), 8-6
2. Paul/Adamski (WF) def. Edlefsen/Lipinski (MN), 8-5
3. Strauss/Hamar (WF) def. Schwark/Wilkins (MN), 8-5
#44 Wake Forest def. #31 Minnesota, 5-2
