GREENVILLE, S.C.-- The 66th ranked Furman men's tennis team remained undefeated in conference play when the Paladins shut out arch rival and 74th ranked East Tennessee State 7-0 in front of an enthusiastic Mickel Tennis Center crowd on Wednesday. The win marks the first time Furman (10-12, 7-0 SoCon) has blanked the Bucs since a 9-0 Paladin victory on April 7, 1987.

"It certainly wasn't your typical 7-0 match," said Furman head coach Paul Scarpa. "You have to be proud with the way our players continuously gave second efforts. That helped us gain the momentum we needed to take the match."

Furman opened by taking two of three doubles matches, thus earning the Paladins the doubles point. At No. 2, Furman's Peter Netzler and Andrew Rogers defeated Pablo Sahagun and Alejandro Salazar, 9-8 (3), while Chris Henderson and Allen Simmons beat Diego Iglesias and Moises Serrano 8-1 at No. 3. Furman's lone doubles setback came at the No. 1 position, where Marcos Pavlovich and Roberto Fernandez upset the 22nd ranked duo of James Cameron and John Chesworth, 9-8 (3).

Furman then swept the Bucs in singles action to clinch the victory. At No. 3, Furman's Henderson defeated Iglesias in straight sets, 6-2, 6-1, while Cameron earned a 7-5, 6-4 victory at No. 2 against Fernandez. After Chesworth, the 44th ranked singles player in the country, beat Pavlovich at No. 1, 7-5, 4-6, 6-4, Furman's Patrick Gaughan knocked off Sahagun at the No. 4 slot, 3-6, 7-5, 6-2. Patrick Fillnow delivered at No. 5 with a 3-6, 6-1, 6-4 triumph against Salazar, while Paladin Ryan McCarthy held off Serrano at No. 6, 7-6 (3), 3-6, 6-3.

The Paladins will entertain VMI (Saturday, 9:30 a.m.), UNC Greensboro (Saturday, 2:00 p.m.), and Davidson (Sunday, 1:30 p.m.) this weekend at Mickel Tennis Center before heading to Charleston for the Southern Conference Tournament on April 19-21.

No. 66 Furman 7, No. 74 East Tennessee State 0
April 10, 2002
Singles Results
1. No. 44 John Chesworth (Furman) def. Marcos Pavlovich (ETSU), 7-5, 4-6, 6-4
2. James Cameron (Furman) def. Roberto Fernandez (ETSU), 7-5, 6-4
3. Chris Henderson (Furman) def. Diego Iglesias (ETSU), 6-2, 6-1
4. Patrick Gaughan (Furman) def. Pablo Sahagun (ETSU), 3-6, 7-5, 6-2
5. Patrick Fillnow (Furman) def. Alejandro Salazar (ETSU), 3-6, 6-1, 6-4
6. Ryan McCarthy (Furman) def. Moises Serrano (ETSU), 7-6 (3), 3-6, 6-3
Doubles Results
1. Pavlovich/Fernandez (ETSU) def. No. 22 Cameron/Chesworth (Furman), 9-8 (3)
2. Peter Netzler/Andrew Rogers (Furman) def. Sahagun/Salazar (ETSU), 9-8 (3)
3. Henderson/Allen Simmons (Furman) def. Iglesias/Serrano (ETSU), 8-1