Friday, 11/09/2012

FLUSHING, N.Y. - Fighting Illini sophomores Farris Gosea and Tim Kopinski came up short in their opening-round doubles match at the USTA/ITA National Indoor Intercollegiate Championships Thursday night at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. The duo fell in an 8-5 decision to Dan Regan and Georgi Rymenov of Armstrong Atlantic State, marking the first loss of the fall for the Orange and Blue tandem.

"I think they played well in terms of striking the ball," associate head coach Marcos Asse said. "But I think some of the choices they made on the court in the moment were not the best choices. Hopefully, it was a learning experience and realization for them that tennis is not always about how well you can hit your forehand. It's about the decisions you make with it."

Gosea and Kopinski earned entry to the tournament after winning the USTA/ITA Midwest Regional doubles title in mid-October, marking llinois' fifth regional doubles title in the past 10 years and the first time an Illini duo has accomplished the feat since Dennis Nevolo and Marek Czerwinski took the crown in 2009.

"The only way to improve is experiences like this," Asse said. "Hopefully, this will make us better when the spring season rolls around."

The duo will return to action tomorrow for consolation play, which begins at 8 a.m. CT.

Illini Results
Dan Regan/Georgi Rumenov (Armstrong Atlantic State) def. Tim Kopinski/Farris Gosea (Illinois) 8-5