Illinois Falls Short in Blue Gray Title Match
No. 2 Illini edged by No. 10 SMU to fall to 13-2 on the season - 3/21/99

The University of Illinois men's tennis team lost for just the second time in 15 matches, as the No. 2 Illini were defeated by No. 10 Southern Methodist today, 4-2, in the championship match of the Blue Gray Classic in Montgomery, Ala.

For the fourth time in this tourney, Illinois jumped out to an early 1-0 advantage by winning the doubles point. The Illini's No. 1 pair of Oliver Freelove and Cary Franklin, ranked No. 9 in the country, upset a higher-ranked duo for the second straight day. After beating the nation's top-ranked duo on Saturday, the UI pair defeated SMU's team of Dustin Mauck and Keith Pollak, ranked No. 5 nationally, 8-5.

The Illini faltered in singles, as the Mustangs earned straight-set wins at the Nos. 3, 5 and 6 positions. At No. 2 singles, Franklin attempted to rally his team by defeating Hansson, 7-5, 6-1, to cut into the deficit. The UI junior improves to an impressive 13-1 in all dual matches and 22-8 overall. At No. 1 singles, Freelove, the No. 4 player in the nation, was edged in a first-set tie-breaker and fell in straight-sets to SMU's Ignacio Hirigoyen, ranked tenth nationally, 7-6, 6-3.

The Fighting Illini are now 13-2 on the season after advancing to the finals of this prestigious tournament for the first time in UI history. Illinois returns to action next weekend, as the squad battles regional-rival Notre Dame, ranked 26th in the nation, in South Bend, Ind. on Saturday, March 27.

Singles
No. 1 - Ignacio Hirigoyen (#10), SMU, d. Oliver Freelove (#4), Ill., 7-6, 6-3
No. 2 - Cary Franklin (#51), Ill., d. Toby Hansson, SMU, 7-5, 6-1
No. 3 - Dustin Mauck (#85), SMU, d. Jeff Laski (#100), Ill., 6-3, 6-1
No. 4 - Jakub Teply, Ill., vs. Jon Wallmark (#65), SMU, DNF
No. 5 - Sijmen DeLange, SMU, d. Mike Kosta, Ill., 6-3, 6-1
No. 6 - Keith Pollack, SMU, d. Arnaud Lantin, Ill., 6-4, 6-3

Doubles
No. 1 - Freelove/Franklin (#9), Ill., d. Mauck/Pollak (#5), SMU, 8-5
No. 2 - Laski/Jamal Parker, Ill., d. Hansson/Wallmark (#43), SMU, 8-3
No. 3 - Hirigoyen/DeLange, SMU, d. Teply/Kosta, Ill., 8-1