Jan. 26, 2003

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. - After falling behind a break in the third set, Tommy Hanus (Palatine, Ill./Palatine) came through when it counted, rallying to a 4-6, 6-2, 6-3 clinching win as Northwestern upended No. 28 Arkansas, 4-3. Northwestern, which handed Arkansas its first loss of the season, is off to a 3-0 start.

Hanus dropped the first set, 6-4, to Nathan Price but responded, winning the second set, 6-2. Hanus faltered again early in the third set, as Price broke his serve, but came back for the 6-3 win.

"This was a great match," said NU head coach Paul Torricelli. "We're a lot older at the top, and I think that is what helped us today. We lost five of the first singles sets, but our guys fought hard to get back in the match."

Northwestern jumped out to a 1-0 advantage, winning its first doubles point of the young season. Josh Axler (Huntington, N.Y./Walt Whitman) and Adam Schaechterle (Oconomowoc, Wis./Kettle Moraine) ended a two-match skid, downing the Razorbacks Aleksey Bubis and Rohan Gajjar, 8-4 at No. 2 doubles. Hanus and Russell Bennett (Wilmette, Ill./New Trier) picked up an 8-3 win at No. 3 doubles.

Seniors Jenkins and Axler each improved to 3-0 singles dual matches.

Northwestern returns home for a Feb. 1 match against Alabama. Match time is set for 4 p.m. at Combe Tennis Center.

Northwestern 4, Arkansas 3

Doubles
1. Nathan Price/Eduardo Pacheco (ARK) def. Jackie Jenkins/Chuck Perrin (NU), 9-7
2. Josh Axler/Adam Schaechterle (NU) def. Aleksey Bubis/Rohan Gajjar (ARK), 8-4
3. Tommy Hanus/Russell Bennett (NU) def. Matt Roberts/Adrians Zguns(ARK), 8-3

Singles
1. Hanus (NU) def. Price (ARK), 4-6, 6-2, 6-3
2. Jenkins (NU) def. Bubis (ARK), 4-6, 6-3, 6-3
3. Axler (NU) def. Pacheco (ARK), 4-6, 6-4, 6-2
4. Zguns (ARK) def. Perrin (NU), 6-2, 6-1
5. Gajjar (ARK) def. Schaechterle (NU), 2-6, 7-5, 6-2
6. Roberts (ARK) def. Ahmed Wahla (NU), 6-4, 6-3