MEN'S TENNIS FALLS TO LONGWOOD 4-3

3/29/2008 4:00:00 AM | Men's Tennis

HARRISONBURG, Va., March 29, 2008 ? The JMU men's tennis team lost for the first time in five matches as the Dukes dropped a non-conference match to in-state rival Longwood, Saturday. The Lancers took the match 4-3 to drop the Dukes to 8-8 this season.

The day started off well for JMU, as they won all three doubles matches to take the doubles point. The Dukes No. 1 doubles pair, senior Jesse Tarr and sophomore Mike Smith, defeated LU's Billy Heird and David Cardoso, 8-3 to give JMU an early lead.

Senior Carlin Campbell and junior Brian Rubenstein teamed up to clinch the doubles point for Madison with an 8-2 win in the No. 2 double match.

In singles play, Campbell improved to 2-0 on the day as he defeated Longwood's Austin Brawley 7-6, 1-6, 6-3. It was one of three matches that went to a third-set tiebreaker. The Dukes took two of those three matches with freshman Jared Robinson defeating Brandon Lindsley 6-3, 6-7, 1-0 in the No. 1 singles match but Rubenstein fell to Heird 3-6, 6-3, 6-2.

JMU will return to action next weekend as they host a Colonial Athletic Association round robin. The Dukes will welcome in Hofstra, Delaware and UNC Wilmington for the three-day event beginning Friday, April 4.