JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The University of North Florida men's tennis team got wins at No. 1 and 2 singles, but it was not enough to overtake USC Upstate on Friday in a 5-2 loss.

 

UNF dropped to 9-8 overall and 3-4 in the Atlantic Sun Conference with the loss. It was just the second loss at home this season for the Ospreys.

 

“The team competed fairly well today,” said head coach Igal Buberman. “We were up a set on #2 doubles and were not able to close it to get the extra edge. We knew we had a good matchup at the top of the lineup, but we also knew that they had a very deep squad. We were counting on the bottom positions, and unfortunately could not get them.”

 

Senior Eduardo Pereira improved to 13-2 overall and 5-2 in the A-Sun with his 6-1, 6-4 win at No. 1 singles over Upstate's Sandy Franz. In the No. 2 match, junior Javier Ferrin took down Upstate's Renzo Airaldi in a hotly contested match that took the full allotment of sets to decide. Ferrin came out on top, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4.

 

Senior No. 3 player Yuiti Lopes came out on the short end of a three-set match after winning the first set. Upstate's Jack Roux claimed the victory, 6-7 (2), 6-1, 6-1. Freshman Graham Edgar was locked into a battle at No. 5 singles after winning the second set but could not pull out the win against Upstate's Sebastian Gonzalez-Obergoso. Gonzalez-Obergoso came out on top 6-4, 2-6, 6-2.

 

The Ospreys will return to action at 2 p.m. on Saturday against ETSU at the UNF Tennis Complex. It will be UNF's 25^th-Annivesary Celebration, where program standouts from the past will be invited back and recognized for their achievements.

 

Tennis Match Results

USC Upstate vs North Florida

Mar 28, 2008 at Jacksonville, Fla.

 

USC Upstate 5, North Florida 2

 

 Singles competition

1. Eduardo Pereira (UNF) def. Sandy Franz (UPST) 6-1, 6-4

2. Javier Ferrin (UNF) def. Renzo Airaldi (UPST) 6-3, 4-6, 6-4

3. Jack Roux (UPST) def. Yuiti Lopes (UNF) 6-7 (0-2), 6-1, 6-1

4. Javier Tori (UPST) def. Kurt Gattiker (UNF) 6-4, 6-0

5. S. Gonzales-Orbegoso (UPST) def. Graham Edgar (UNF) 6-4, 2-6, 6-2

6. Arnaldo Lovera (UPST) def. Adrian Escarate (UNF) 6-3, 6-4

 

 Doubles competition

1. S. Gonzales-Orbegoso/Leandro Osorio (UPST) def. Yuiti Lopes/Alejandro Argumedo (UNF) 8-4

2. Javier Tori/Renzo Airaldi (UPST) def. Eduardo Pereira/Kurt Gattiker (UNF) 8-6

3. Jack Roux/Sandy Franz (UPST) def. Javier Ferrin/Adrian Escarate (UNF) 8-6

 

Match Notes:

USC Upstate 12-5, 5-1 A-Sun

North Florida 9-8, 3-4 A-Sun