Oklahoma State University Athletics
No. 21 Cowboys defeat No. 22 Arkansas, 4-3
April 19, 2006 | Cowboy Tennis
Oklahoma State's 21st-ranked men's tennis team continued it's non-conference dominance Tuesday, knocking off No. 22 Arkansas, 4-3. The Cowboys have now won 11 of 12 non-conference matches.
“It was tough to play today because it was so hot and humid,” OSU assistant coach Yevgen Bondarchuk said. “We battled the weather and to beat a tough Arkansas team.”
In doubles, the Cowboys 51st-ranked duo of Daniel and Nathan Byrnes won in a tie-breaker, which set up a pivotal battle at No. 2 after Arkansas' tandem of Austin King and Colin Mascall won at No. 3.
At No. 2, Cowboy-duo Artie Burmistrau and Tomas Bohunicky upset Arkansas' 58th-ranked tandem of Adrians Zguns and Blake Strode, 8-6, which won OSU the doubles point.
“Doubles was really close,” Bondarchuk said. “Artie and Tomas played really well to clinch the match for us, which turned out to be very important.”
In singles, OSU (14-4) extended the lead to 3-0 when No. 92 Ivan Puchkarov upset No. 72 Matt Roberts at No. 3, and Olexsander Kotsiuk defeated Austin King at No. 6.
The Razorbacks (16-9) came back to make it a 3-2 match, but OSU senior Artie Burmistrau beat Mascall, 2-6, 7-6, 6-0, to seal the Cowboys' victory.
“Artie clinched it for us when it could have gone the other way,” Bondarchuk said. “In the second set, Artie was down 5-3 and could have given up, but he came back to win the set and then win the match.
“Artie really showed character by helping clinch the doubles and then coming back to win his singles.”
Up next for the Cowboys is their regular season finale, which will be Bedlam when the Cowboys host Oklahoma on Saturday at 2 p.m.
Results
Doubles
1. No. 51 Byrnes/Byrnes def. Gajjar/Roberts, 9-8 (9-7)
2. Burmistrau/Bohunicky def. No. 58 Zguns/Strode, 8-6
3. King/Mascall def. Diaz/Puchkarov, 8-6
Singles
1. No. 19 Adrians Zguns def. No. 14 Daniel Byrnes, 7-5, 6-4
2. Rohan Gajjar def. Tomas Bohunicky, 6-3, 6-3
3. No. 92 Ivan Puchkarov def. No. 72 Matt Roberts, 6-2, 6-4
4. Blake Strode def. Felipe Diaz, 7-6, 7-6
5. Artie Burmistrau def. Colin Mascall, 2-6, 7-6, 6-0
6. Olexsander Kotsiuk def. Austin King, 6-1, 6-3
