TAMPA, Fla. (Mar. 8, 2008) The Georgia State men's tennis team (1-10) fell 5-0 to No. 34 USF (9-3) on Sunday afternoon.  The Panthers just completed a 10-match stretch that included nine teams ranked in the top 55 in the country.

The match, originally scheduled for 1 p.m., was moved to 3 p.m. due to strong winds in the area.  Georgia State opened play with doubles competition and an opportunity to take the point.  State and USF were split at 1-1 after Anze Cevka and Nejc Podkrajsek defeated Estrada and Daudt at No. 1 and Aleksandar Elezovic and Ross Hopper fell 8-1 to Nusslein and Adderley at No. 3.  When the two matches closed,  partners William Adeimy and Trenton Spinks were 6-6 at No. 2 doubles with a chance to swing momentum.  However, duo couldn't hold on and dropped a close 8-6 battle to Jovita and Toledo giving the Bulls the first point of the day.

The momentum stayed in the Bulls' corner as the Panthers dropped four singles matches. Podkrajsek fell 6-4, 6-2 to Jovita at No. 1 while Spinks and Hopper fell 6-1, 6-3 and 6-0, 6-1 at No. 5 and 6, respectively.   Adeimy fell to Estrada in a tiebreaker, and Cevka and Elezovic were both leading their opponents 6-4, 2-5 and 7-5, 1-2, but were unable to finish the match due to the late start. 

”We played great first sets at 1, 2, 3, and a great second set at No. 4,” said head coach Jarod Camerota.  “Our fight was where it needs to be, but our energy wasn't.  We will keep building on what we have and continue to focus on the process.”

The Panthers return to the courts on Saturday, March. 15, hosting Lipscomb at 2 p.m. at Piedmont Tennis Center.

Match Results

Doubles
1.  Cevka/Podkrajsek def Estrada/Daudt 8-5
2.  Jovita/Toledo def. Adeimy/Spinks 8-6
3.  Nusslein/Adderley def. Elezovic/Hopper 8-1

Singles
1.  Lucas Jovita def. Nejc Podkrajsek 6-4, 6-2
2.  Anze Cevka leading Mahmoud Hamed  6-4, 2-5 DNF
3.  Aleksandar Elezovic leading Jamal Adderley 7-5, 1-2 DNF
4.  Thomas Estrada def. William Adeimy 6-0, 7-6(1)
5.  Michael Nusslein def. Trenton Spinks 6-1, 6-3
6.  Diego Toledo def. Ross Hopper 6-0, 6-1