FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Gary Holden, Sports Information Director
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April 19, 2003
 
 
Men's Tennis Players Earn All-Conference
Trier, Rhodes Shine at Dixie Tournament, Ferrum Places 4th
 
Ferrum, Va. -- The Ferrum College men's tennis team finished fourth at the Dixie Conference Tournament, held April 18-19 in Newport News, Virginia.  The Panthers scored 30 points, a tournament best for the Panther tennis program, behind champion Averett University, Methodist College, and host Christopher Newport University.

Men's Team Scores
1. Averett 52 pts;  2. Methodist 48;  3. CNU 34;  4. Ferrum 30;  5. Greensboro 13;  6. Shenandoah 9;  7. NC Wesleyan 0

               Dixie Tennis Tournament Web Site
               Ferrum Results
 
Two Ferrum players earned All-Conference honors, freshman Erich Trier (Middleburg, Va./Loudoun Valley) and junior Matt Rhodes (Virginia Beach, Va./Cox).  Trier, pictured above right, was a double honoree today.  He earned second team All-Conference with his runner-up finish at #5 singles and second team All-Conference with his runner-up finish at #3 doubles with Rhodes, above left.  Both players earn league honors for the first time.

Trier reached the finals with an 8-1 quarterfinal win over Shenandoah's Tim Dunford and a 7-6 (7-4), 6-7 (7-2), 12-10 win over Christopher Newport's Worth Richardson.  Trier finished the season at 16-6 in singles, 12-4 in doubles and 28-10 overall.

Freshman Gabe Zakkak (Midland, Va./Liberty) placed third at #1 singles and Rhodes placed third at #6 singles.  Freshman Matt Brantley (Norlina, N.C./Warren County) and senior Rod Baker (Maumee, Ohio/Maumee) each placed 4th at #3 and #4 singles, respectively.  Freshman Paul Matthews (Richmond, Va./J.R. Tucker) was fifth at #2 singles.

Zakkak and Baker reached the semifinals at #1 doubles before being eliminated, while Matthews and Brantley reached the semifinals at #2 doubles before bowing out.  Trier and Rhodes received a bye into the semifinals, then defeated Christopher Newport's Richardson and Mark Rymon 8-6 to advance to the championship.  Trier and Rhodes lost to Methodist's Marcus Dudley and Ben Porter 8-2 for the title.

The Ferrum women also competed at the Dixie Tournament this weekend.  The Panthers placed 6th overall, with Methodist repeating at champion.  Senior Tina McBride (Glade Hill, Va./Franklin County) won her opening-round match at #3 singles with an 8-2 win over Averett's Tiffany Weinkopff.  She went on to place fourth for Ferrum.
 
Women's Team Scores
1. Methodist 62 pts;  2. CNU 45;  3. Shenandoah 33;  4. Greensboro 22;  5. Averett 15;  6. Ferrum 6;  NC Wesleyan 3
 
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