Trojans Drop Tough Match at FAU

Friday, March 16

Boca Raton, FL

1:00 p.m.

Troy University

Florida Atlantic University

Photo by: Tyler Myers

3/17/2012 1:36:00 PM | Tennis (M)

By: Matt Mays

BOCA RATON, Fla. – The Troy men's tennis team dropped a hard fought, 4-3, decision at Florida Atlantic on Friday. The match marked the first against Sun Belt competition for each side.

The Trojans (3-11) got up early on the Owls (11-5) by taking the doubles point with wins at number one and three as the teams of Mansingh Athare and Sami Ghorbel, and Anas Rouchdi and Patrick Eichler each moved to 4-2 this season.

The two doubles wins came after the Trojans were already in a hole after a loss at number two. Athare and Ghorbel used an 8-5 win at number one to even up the doubles point while Rouchdi and Eichler also won, 8-5, to put Troy up early.

However, the lead was short lived as Florida Atlantic picked up wins in the first four singles match to go final to win the match. The Owls won at numbers three, one, six and five, in that order, to take a 4-1 lead and put the match away.

Ghorbel won at number two singles for Troy in three sets, 3-6, 6-3, 6-0 to give the Trojans their second point, while Eichler won at number four, 6-4, 7-6 (10-8) to make the final score 4-3.

The singles win was the fifth in seven matches for Eichler who is playing as well as any Trojan.

Troy returns to the court next Saturday, March 24, as they battle Wichita State in a neutral court match in Mobile, Ala. Troy will take on South Alabama on Sunday.

For more information on Troy Athletics, visit TroyTrojans.com. Fans can also find Troy on Twitter at @TroyAthletics or become fans on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/TroyAthletics.

Florida Atlantic 4, Troy 3
Boca Raton, Fla. (Patch Reef Park)

Singles competition
1. Albrecht, Taylor (FAU) def. Anas Rouchdi (TROY) 6-1, 6-2
2. Sami Ghorbel (TROY) def. Janssen, Chris (FAU) 3-6, 6-3, 6-0
3. Neuner, Will (FAU) def. Mansingh Athare (TROY) 6-0, 6-3
4. Patrick Eichler (TROY) def. Dubuque, Robert (FAU) 6-4, 7-6 (10-8)
5. Bacha, Sean (FAU) def. Jamie Eccleton (TROY) 6-2, 6-4
6. Bogomolov, Boris (FAU) def. Ture Skinner (TROY) 6-3, 6-4

Doubles competition
1. Mansingh Athare/Sami Ghorbel (TROY) def. Albrecht, Taylor/Neuner, Will (FAU) 8-5
2. Janssen, Chris/Dubuque, Robert (FAU) def. Tommy Cundy/Jamie Eccleton (TROY) 8-2
3. Anas Rouchdi/Patrick Eichler (TROY) def. Bacha, Sean/Bogomolov, Boris (FAU) 8-5

Match Notes
Troy 3-11
Florida Atlantic 11-5
Order of finish: Doubles (2,1,3); Singles (3,1,6,5,2,4)