GREENVILLE, S.C.-- The 63rd-ranked Furman men's tennis team moved to 5-5 on the 2003 season when the Paladins defeated the N.C. State Wolfpack (2-9) 6-1 this afternoon at Mickel Tennis Center.
Furman began play by winning two of three doubles matches to earn the doubles point. Allen Simmons and Chris Henderson were first off the court after the tandem defeated N.C. State's Will Shaw and Chris Mills at No. 3, 8-0. The Paladins clinched the match's opening point when James Cameron and Patrick Fillnow, the 19th-ranked duo in the country, handed R.J. Murray and Val Banada an 8-3 defeat at No. 1. Furman's lone doubles setback came at the No. 2 position, where Jon Davis and Rehman Esmail beat Andrew Rogers and Ben Pauluhn, 8-6.
Furman then won five of six singles matches to take the victory. After Simmons defeated Mills 6-1, 6-0 at the No. 5 slot, Rogers beat Davis at No. 4, 6-1, 6-1. The Paladins then clinched the victory with a 6-1, 7-6 (5) Ryan McCarthy victory against Esmail at No. 6.
Furman's Cameron and Henderson earned hard-fought three-set triumphs at the No. 1 and 2 positions, respectively, with Cameron winning his match against Murray 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 and Henderson holding off Shaw 7-5, 3-6, 6-1.
The Paladins' lone singles setback occurred at the No. 3 slot, where N.C. State's Banada defeated Fillnow in three sets, 1-6, 7-6 (3), 6-2.
Furman will look to continue its momentum when the Paladins begin the Southern Conference slate against Georgia Southern on Saturday at Mickel Tennis Center. The match will begin at 2:00 p.m.
No. 63 Furman 6, N.C. State 1
March 6, 2003
Singles Results
1. James Cameron (FU) def. R.J. Murray (NCSU), 3-6, 6-3, 6-4
2. Chris Henderson (FU) def. Will Shaw (NCSU), 7-5, 3-6, 6-1
3. Val Banada (NCSU) def. Pat Fillnow (FU), 1-6, 7-6 (3), 6-2
4. Andrew Rogers (FU) def. Jon Davis (NCSU), 6-1, 6-1
5. Allen Simmons (FU) def. Chris Mills (NCSU), 6-1, 6-0
6. Ryan McCarthy (FU) def. Rehman Esmail (NCSU), 6-1, 7-6 (5)
Doubles Results
1. No. 19 Cameron/Fillnow (FU) def. Murray/Banada (NCSU), 8-3
2. Davis/Esmail (NCSU) def. Rogers/Ben Pauluhn (FU), 8-6
3. Henderson/Simmons (FU) def. Shaw/Mills (NCSU), 8-0