JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. -- The Furman men's tennis team slipped to 9-11 overall and 3-2 in Southern Conference action when the Paladins were defeated by arch rival East Tennessee State 4-3 in Johnson City, Tenn. on Tuesday.

The Bucs opened the day by earning a point in doubles play. At No. 1, Alejandro Salazar and Marcos Pavlovich teamed up to drop Furman's James Cameron and Pat Fillnow, 8-6. Meanwhile, Diego Iglesias and Moises Serrano defeated Furman's Ben Pauluhn and Andrew Rogers at No. 2, 8-3. The Paladins' lone victory in doubles came when Allen Simmons and Henderson overpowered Federico Ochoa and Fernando Fiuri, 8-1.

East Tennessee State then won three of six singles matches to take the win. The clinching victory came at No. 2 singles, where, with the dual match knotted at 3-3, East Tennessee State's Salazar edged Henderson in a dramatic three-set battle, 5-7, 6-4, 7-6 (6).

Furman's Cameron won his flight one singles match against Pavlovich, 6-3, 4-6, 6-2. While Simmons beat Serrano at No. 5, 6-3, 6-2, Furman's Ryan McCarthy handed Francisco Diaz a 6-2, 6-3 defeat at No. 6.

Furman will face UNC Greensboro in a key Southern Conference showdown on Saturday at 1:30 p.m. The contest will be held within the friendly confines of Mickel Tennis Center.

East Tennessee State 4, Furman 3
April 1, 2003
Singles Results
1. James Cameron (Furman) def. Marcos Pavlovich (ETSU), 6-3, 4-6, 6-2
2. Alejandro Salazar (ETSU) def. Chris Henderson (Furman), 5-7, 6-4, 7-6 (8-6)
3. Diego Iglesias (ETSU) def. Andrew Rogers (Furman), 6-4, 3-6, 6-4
4. Fernando Fiuri (ETSU) def. Pat Fillnow, 6-3, 7-5
5. Allen Simmons (Furman) def. Moises Serrano (ETSU), 6-3, 6-2
6. Ryan McCarthy (Furman) def. Francisco Diaz (ETSU), 6-2, 6-3
Doubles Results
1. Salazar/Pavlovich (ETSU) def. No. 46 Cameron/Fillnow (Furman), 8-6
2. Iglesias/Serrano (ETSU) def. Pauluhn/Rogers (Furman), 8-3
3. Simmons/Henderson (Furman) def. Ochoa/Fiuri (ETSU), 8-1