Box Score

KENNESAW, Ga. - The Owl men's tennis team fell today at the KSU Tennis Complex by a score of 6-1 to the Jacksonville Dolphins.  The match was the longest match of the season for the Owls, stretching over four and a half hours, but the Owls were only able to close out one singles match and one doubles match in the end.

"I can't be upset at my team, because they fought hard today," commented head coach T.J. Greggs.  "It is always disappointing when you lose, but I am proud of the way our players conducted themselves today, and in the end, I am simply proud that we have such a positive group of young men."

The Owls (5-11, 0-6 A-Sun) started off promisingly, easily rolling to a win at the No. 2 doubles spot.  The other two doubles matches were both decided by one break of serve, as the Dolphins (8-6, 4-2 A-Sun) reversed the momentum and took the first team point of the match when the Owls were unable to hold on at No. 1 and No. 3.

In the singles portions, the Owls rebounded to take the first set in three of the six matches, but in the end, the Owls were only able to pick up the win at No. 6 singles, when Elliot Kahler took out Jacksonville's Logan Shalmi for the Owls' lone point of the match.  Michael Langel and Gianni Kubin both fell in three sets, while Gokalp Ozdemir played a nearly two hour first set, before retiring with severe cramps deep into the second set after over three hours on the court.

"As nice as it was having the first warm day of the season, it worked to our disadvantage against a team from the Florida coast," lamented Greggs.  "We had three different players call for medical timeouts, and that never happens with our team.  To their credit, they all fought through it, and we told Gokalp to stop when we saw he was unable to continue."

The Owls will look to get back on the winning track on Thursday, when they travel to A-Sun rival Stetson.