MONTGOMERY, Ala.-- After dropping the doubles point, the 17th-ranked Virginia Commonwealth Rams reeled off four consecutive singles victories to defeat the 63rd-ranked Furman Paladin men's tennis team (6-6, 1-0 SoCon) 4-1 in the first round of the Blue/Gray College Classic in Montgomery, Ala. on Thursday.

Furman, behind the strength of victories at the Nos. 1 and 3 positions, began the match by taking the doubles point. James Cameron and Patrick Fillnow, the 26th-ranked duo in the country, defeated VCU's 46th-ranked Florian Marquardt and Pedro Nieto 8-6 at No. 1. Furman's Chris Henderson and Allen Simmons then clinched the doubles point with an 8-6 victory at No. 3 against Daniel Casquero and Francesc Lleal.

The Rams recovered by winning four consecutive singles matches to clinch the victory. While Martin Ott defeated Furman's Cameron 6-3, 6-1 at No. 1, Nieto beat Furman's Henderson 6-0, 6-3 at No. 2. VCU's Marquardt then earned a 6-3, 6-1 triumph against Fillnow at No. 3, followed by a 6-1, 6-3 Lleal victory at No. 6 against Furman's Ryan McCarthy.

Furman will look to rebound when the Paladins play in the tournament's consolation bracket on Friday at a time to be announced.

No. 17 VCU 4, No. 63 Furman 1
March 13, 2003
Singles Results
1. No. 116 Marton Ott (VCU) def. James Cameron (FU), 6-3, 6-1
2. No. 85 Pedro Nieto (VCU) def. Chris Henderson (FU), 6-0, 6-3
3. No. 47 Florian Marquardt (VCU) def. Patrick Fillnow (FU), 6-3, 6-1
4. No. 111 Daniel Casquero (VCU) vs. Andrew Rogers (FU), DNF
5. Mats Norin (VCU) vs. Allen Simmons (FU), DNF
6. Francesc Lleal (VCU) def. Ryan McCarthy (FU), 6-1, 6-3
Doubles Results
1. No. 26 Cameron/Fillnow (FU) def. No. 46 Marquardt/Nieto (VCU), 8-6
2. Ott/Norin (VCU) vs. Rogers/Ben Pauluhn (FU), DNF
3. Henderson/Simmons (FU) def. Casquero/Lleal (VCU), 8-6