February 19, 2000

COLUMBUS, Ohio - No. 23 Minnesota defeated No. 60 Virginia Tech, 5-2, in men's tennis on Saturday, at Jesse Owens West Tennis Complex on the campus of Ohio State in Columbus, Ohio.

Tech's No.l doubles team of Davor Dupljak and Saber Kadiri started the match with a win, defeating Thomas Haug and Martin Michalowski, 9-8. The Gophers' No. 2 doubles team of Harsh Mankad and Eric Robertson defeated Andrew Vu and Gerard Baynham, 8-6. Minnesota's No. 3 doubles team of Tyson Parry and Jon Svensson, 8-3, giving the Gophers the doubles point.

In singles action, Minnesota's Mankad defated Dupljak at No. 1 singles, 6-4, 6-0, and Haug defeated Michael Kurz at No. 2 singles, 6-1, 7-5, giving the Gophers a 3-0 lead. Minnesota extended its lead, winning No. 3 and No. 4 singles, to push its lead to 5-0. Jorge Duenas defeated Vu, 6-3, 6-4, at No. 3 singles and Michalowski defeated Baynham, 6-3, 6-1, at No. 4 singles.

However, Tech did win at No. 5 and No. 6 singles to post two wins, finishing the day with the 5-2 defeat. Bruner defeated Parry, 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, at No. 5 singles, and Kadiri defeated Robertson, 7-5, 5-7, 7-6 (2), at No. 6 singles.

Tech faces Tennessee-Chattanooga at 2 p.m., and VMI at 6 p.m., on Sat., Feb. 25 and then Wake Forest on Sunday, Feb. 26, at 3 p.m.