Michigan State University
Minnesota
Men's Tennis Drops Big Ten Opener
3/20/2000 12:00:00 AM | Men's Tennis
March 20, 2000
EAST LANSING, Mich. - The Michigan State men's tennis team opened up its Big Ten season with a 6-1 loss to No. 30 Minnesota Saturday night at the 98th Street Racquet Club in Minneapolis, Minn. The Golden Gophers won five of the singles matches and all three doubles contests. The match was the second time in two weeks that the two schools had met. Minnesota defeated Michigan State 4-0 at the H.E.B. Collegiate Team Championhips back on March, 4 in a non-conference match-up. The loss drops the Spartans' record to 5-12/0-1.
The lone Spartan point came from senior Ivica Primorac (Mostar, Bosnia). The co-captain defeated Jorge Duenas 6-3, 6-7, 7-6 at No. 3 singles. Senior, Robert Topalo, (Prague, Czech Rep.) lost his second match of the year competing at No. 1 singles, 7-6, 6-1. The only other Spartan to take his match into the third set was Goran Topalo (Prague, Czech Rep.), losing 6-3, 6-7, 6-3. Minnesota took the doubles point by sweeping through all three matches.
The Spartans have a week off before continuing their current road trip by traveling to compete against Northwestern and Illinois on Saturday, April 1 and Sunday, April 2. Both contests will start at 12:00 p.m.
Michigan State vs. Minnesota L (6-1) 3/18/2000 Singles Results No.1 Harsh Mankad (MINN) def. Robert Topalo (MSU) 7-6, 6-1 No.2 Thomas Haug (MINN) def. Ken Kigongo (MSU) 6-4, 6-2 No.3 Ivica Primorac (MSU) def. Jorge Duenas (MINN) 6-3, 6-7, 7-6 No.4 Tyson Parry (MINN) def. Francisco Trinidad (MSU) 6-4, 6-3 No.5 Martin Michalowski (MINN) def. Goran Topalo (MSU) 6-3, 6-7, 6-3 No.6 Eric Robertson (MINN) def. Todd Townsend (MSU) 6-3, 6-2 Doubles Results No.1 Haug/Michalowski (MINN) def. Mark Findling/Kigongo (MSU) 8-5 No.2 Duenas/Mankad (MINN) def. Primorac/Trinidad (MSU) 8-6 No.3 Parry/Jon Svensson (MINN) def. Jimmy McGuire/R. Topalo (MSU) 8-4
