Oklahoma State University Athletics
Men's Tennis Falls in Big 12 Tournament
June 21, 1999 | Cowboy Tennis
April 29, 1999
COLLEGE STATION, Texas - Oklahoma State's Cowboy tennis team lost to eighth-seeded Colorado 4-3 in the first round of the Big 12 tournament today at the Varsity Tennis Center in College Station, Texas.
"It's been a long season and we have a young team. When you lose five players off of a nationally-ranked team and two All-Americans like we did last year, you know it's youth and you know it's rebuilding," head coach James Wadley said. "But that doesn't make losing any easier to take.
"Rob Howarth has jumped his game way up to be one of the special players in the Big 12. He has a very good chance to represent the Big 12 in the NCAAs. Our No. 1 doubles team had a very solid year with Rob (Howarth) jumping up and a new freshman (Matt Prentice) that we are really excited about. They upset the No. 1 doubles team in the nation and it's the only loss that team has. So those are the things that we can hang our hat on."
Oklahoma State (9-12, 1-8 Big 12) was led by senior Rob Howarth who defeated Colorado's Dony Papadia for the second time this season at No. 1 singles. With this victory, Howarth won his sixth match in a row at No. 1 singles. Junior Jacques du Toit added a 6-1, 6-4 victory over Kevin Grieve. Freshman Gordon Ryan also added a win for the Cowboys at No. 6 singles as he defeated Graham Cross 1-6, 6-3, 6-1.
Colorado 4, Oklahoma State 3
Singles
No. 1 - Rob Howarth (OSU) def. Dony Papadia 6-3, 6-4 No. 2 - Boris Sepesi (CU) def. Jeremy Ewert 6-4, 6-3 No. 3 - Artur Rusiecki (CU) def. Matt Prentice 2-0, ret. No. 4 - Jerod Harbaugh (CU) def. Marc Paulik 6-4, 6-2 No. 5 - Jacques du Toit (OSU) def. Kevin Grieve 6-1, 6-4 No. 6 - Gordon Ryan (OSU) def. Graham Cross 1-6, 6-3, 6-1Doubles
No. 1 - Papadia/Sepesi (CU) def. Howarth/Prentice 8-1 No. 2 - DNF No. 3 - Bryan Knepper/A. Huard-Merineau (CU) def. Ryan/Paulik 8-4
