Oklahoma State University Athletics
Cowboys Knock Off Regional Rival Arkansas, 4-1
April 07, 2005 | Cowboy Tennis
The Cowboys (15-5, 4-2) quickly won the doubles point with victories at the Nos. 2 and 3 positions. Junior Tomas Bohunicky and sophomore Artie Burmistrau improved their record to 15-3 on the year at the No. 3 spot with an 8-4 win over Michael Jung and Andrei Nicoara. Senior Mark Van Elden and sophomore Daniel Byrnes followed suit with an 8-5 win of their own over Matt Roberts and Imraan Ismail.
Senior Boris Kuharic and junior Felipe Diaz broke out of their slump at the top doubles position against Adrians Zguns and Rohan Gajjar, prevailing in a hard fought 9-8 (7-5) match.
“It was a good match and everyone played hard,” said head coach James Wadley. “It is a tribute to our guys to have to play a home match on someone else's campus and come out and sweep doubles and win three singles matches in straight sets against a competitive Arkansas team.”
Byrnes picked up the first win of singles play, cruising past Jimmy Khougassian at the No. 4 position, 6-0, 6-4. Van Elden then extended the Cowboy lead to 3-0 with a straight set victory of his own, topping Adrians Zguns, 6-4, 6-3.
The Razorbacks picked up their first point at the No. 6 position. Ismail, who usually plays No. 4 for the Hogs, dropped down two spots and picked up a 6-2, 6-4 victory over Diaz.
Burmistrau then sealed the match at the No. 5 slot with a 7-6, 6-1 win over Jung.
“Artie played well with some pressure on him,” Wadley added. “Tomas and Boris were playing well though, and I believe they would have pulled through if we needed them.”
Bohunicky's match at No. 2 and Kuharic's match at No. 3 were suspended after OSU picked up its fourth team point.
The Cowboys return to action a week from today when they head back to Tulsa for a 6 p.m. match against the Golden Hurricane.
Doubles
No. 1 - Kuharic/Diaz (OSU) def. Zguns/Gajjar (UA); 9-8 (7-5)
No. 2 - Van Elden/Byrnes (OSU) def. Roberts/Ismail (UA); 8-5
No. 3 - Bohunicky/Burmistrau (OSU) def. Jung/Andrei Nicoara (UA); 8-4
Singles
No. 1 - No. 35 Mark Van Elden (OSU) def. Adrians Zguns (UA); 6-4, 6-3
No. 2 - No. 75 Rohan Gajjar (UA) led No. 123 Tomas Bohunicky (OSU); 7-6, 4-3 (DNF)
No. 3 - Boris Kuharic (OSU) vs. Matt Roberts (UA); 6-2, 3-6, 2-2 (DNF)
No. 4 - Daniel Byrnes (OSU) def. Jimmy Khougassian (UA); 6-0, 6-4
No. 5 - Artie Burmistrau (OSU) def. Michael Jung (UA); 7-6, 6-1
No. 6 - Imraan Ismail (UA) def. Felipe Diaz (OSU); 6-2, 6-4
Order of finish: 4, 1, 6, 5
