Jan. 14, 2008

Complete Results

Chicago, Ill. - The UIC Men's Tennis team opened up its 2008 season this past weekend against some tough local competition.

The Flames faced DePaul on Saturday and Northwestern in Evanston on Sunday.

Saturday's season debut at the Hinsdale Racquet Club saw UIC in some close matches against a tough team from the Big East, as junior Adriano Liccardo had a very close loss of 7-5, 6-4 in the No. 3 position. Newcomer Danny Wilson, a junior transfer from DePaul, played a tight two-set match against a former teammate, going 6-4, 6-4 in a loss. The Flames lost Saturdays dual 7-0.

The second match of the weekend at Northwestern showed a sign of what to expect from UIC this season. In the doubles play, all UIC teams remained in contention throughout the matches, with Adriano Liccardo and Bastian Harbo losing in the No. 1 position 8-5, and No. 2 players Danny Wilson and Sebastian Lystad 8-6.

The No. 3 position, composed of senior co-captain Eric Fey and graduated senior Andy Lockhart, played a grueling match with the hopes of getting Lockhart one more doubles victory as a Flame to give him lone possession of the career doubles school record.

Although the pair played tough throughout, the Wildcats came out victorious, winning the match 8-6. Lockhart ends his UIC career tied with Nick Bodmer for the career record of 50 doubles wins.

Because Northwestern was playing a second match in the evening, UIC agreed to play a first to four points dual match format, akin to the Horizon League Championship.

With the doubles point going to Northwestern and loses at the fourth and fifth positions, the four remaining UIC athletes played on. Unfortunately, Marc Dwyer took out sophomore Bastian Harbo at the no. 2 position, and all other matches were suspended.

Danny Wilson, playing in the No. 6 position, claimed the first set 6-4, lost the second set 4-6, and was playing in a very close back-and-forth tie-breaker. At the No. 3 spot, Adriano Liccardo also played in a tight match, losing the first set 6-4, and staying in contention with the serve at 5-4 when his game was called to be stopped.

Sebastian Lystad, the sophomore co-captain, dropped his first set in the No. 1 position, 6-1, but shifted momentum back in his favor, winning the second set 6-4. As Lystad and Alexander Thams entered the third set, Lystad looked to have gained confidence and was up 3-2 when their match ended.

The Flames head to Milwaukee next weekend as they take on Marquette on Saturday at 10 a.m.