Air Force Academy
Minnesota
Falcons Play Well But Fall to Minnesota, 5-2
1/28/2007 12:00:00 AM | Men's Tennis
Jan. 28, 2007
The Air Force men's tennis team played its best match of the 2007 season Sunday, but fell to 34th-ranked University of Minnesota, 5-2, at the Academy. With the loss, the Falcons dropped to 0-5, while the Gophers improved to 2-0.
The Falcons opened the match by capturing the doubles point with victories at the Nos. 1 and 3 spots. At No. 1, seniors Robby Alexander and Ryan White upended Andres Osorio and Sion Wlkins 8-5, while senior Keith Cronican and freshman James Tomlin edged Nich Edlefsen and Dino Bilankov, 8-6, at No. 3. The No. 2 match was suspended at that time.
The Golden Gophers rebounded by winning five of the six singles matches. At No. 1, 58th-ranked Raoul Schwark led off with a 6-3, 7-5 victory over Alexander, while D.J. Geatz downed Falcon freshman Brett Rodgers, 7-5, 4-6, 6-4 at No. 2.
The Maroon and Gold rattled off straight set wins at Nos. 3-5 to clinch the match for the Golden Gophers. Air Force's lone win came at the No. 6 spot, where freshman Austin Francis won the first match of his career, rallying from a set down to beat Chi Pham, 4-6, 6-2, 1-0(10).
The Falcons return to action on Friday, Feb. 9, when they host The Citadel (9 a.m.) and South Dakota State (3 p.m.)
Minnesota 5, Air Force 2
Singles
1. Raoul Schwark (UM) def. Robby Alexander, 6-3, 7-5
2. DJ Geatz (UM) def. Brett Rodgers, 7-5, 4-6, 6-4
3. Mikey Kantar (UM) def. Mike Youn, 6-3, 7-6(2)
4. Dino Bilankov (UM) def. Keith Cronican, 6-4, 6-4
5. Sion Wilkens (UM) def. Ryan White, 6-3, 6-1
6. Austin Francis (AFA) def. Chi Pham, 4-6, 6-2, 12-10
Doubles
1. Alexander/White (AFA) def. Wilkens/Andres Osorio, 8-5
2. Rodgers/Youn (AFA) def. Schwark/Kantar, DNF
3. Cronican/James Tomlin (AFA) def. Nick Edlefsen/Bilankov, 8-6
Players Mentioned
