Men's Tennis | 2/26/2003 10:39:00 PM

Box Score BOCA RATON, Fla.--Florida Atlantic, ranked number 63 in NCAA Division I, dropped a hard-fought match, 4-3, to Barry University on Wednesday evening. The two teams battled back-and-forth in a match that was tied three different times.

After dropping the doubles point by just a tiebreaker, FAU fought back to tie the score at 1-1 when Oscar Plotnik defeated Filip Norrman, 6-0, 6-3. Momentum stayed on FAU's side as the Owls jumped on top 2-1 when Ernest Diaz downed Dirk Bennighaus 6-3, 6-3.

That's when Barry responded with two wins of its own to take the lead 3-2.

Freshman David Demers then made things interesting when he beat the 13th ranked Division II player, Samir M'Bioka, in three sets, 4-6, 6-4, 6-2. Demers win tied the match for the third time. But Barry's Sebastian Losavio came back from a first-set loss in tiebreaker to take the next two sets and defeat F.J. Schofield at number four 6-7, 6-4, 6-2.

In doubles, FAU's Cristian Paiz and Plotnik defeated Thomas Hipp and Sebastian Losavio, 8-1 at number two. But Bennighaus teamed with Alex Praderas to knock off Kevin Obletz and Juan Todero at number three and M'Bioka and Gerold Wiring took the top flight from Demers and Schofield in a tie-breaker 9-8.

Barry, ranked no.13 in Division II, entered the match undefeated and moves to 6-0 on the year. Meanwhile, FAU falls to 4-5 for the season.

FAU will next host American University on March 10 at 2:00 pm.


Singles

David Demers (FAU) def. Samir M'Bioka (BU) 4-6, 6-4, 6-2.
Thomas Hipp (BU) def. Cristian Paiz (FAU) 7-5, 6-4.
Gerold Wiring (BU) def. Kevin Obletz (FAU) 6-3, 6-2.
Sebastian Losavio (BU) def. F.J. Schofield (FAU) 6-7, 6-4, 6-2.
Oscar Plotnik (FAU) def. Filip Norrman (BU) 6-0, 6-3.
Ernest Diaz (FAU) dev. Dirk Bennighaus (BU) 6-3, 6-3.

Doubles

M'Bioka/Wiring (BU) def. Demers/Schofield (FAU) 9-8.
Paiz/Plotnik (FAU) def. Hipp/Losavio (BU) 8-1.
Bennighaus/Praderas (BU) def. Obletz/Todero (FAU) 8-5.