ATLANTA (Feb. 1, 2008) After opening its dual match season with a victory last weekend, the Georgia State men's tennis team (1-1) fell 5-2 in a hard fought battle against visiting Tennessee Tech (2-0) on Friday afternoon.

Though the Panthers battled hard in doubles competition, with Nejc Podkrajsek and Anze Cevka cruising past Tiago and Gomez 8-3 at No.1, Georgia State dropped two straight to give Tennessee Tech the doubles point.

Georgia State tried to redeem itself in singles competition, but the combination of talent on the Golden Eagles' team surpassed the Panthers as they took five straight. No. 89 Cevka scored a point in singles for the Panthers, downing Tiago Gilioli 6-2, 3-6, 6-0. Podkrajsek's efforts came to a halt as he fell 7-5 in two sets against Borja Zarco. Aleksandar Elezovic gave the Panthers its second point, blanking Juan-Pablo Gomez 6-1, 6-1 at No. 3. Trenton Spinks didn't give up the point easily, as he took six games and sent the second to a tie breaker, but fell to Giovanni Vaglietti 6-4, 7-6 (4).

The Panthers recorded their first loss of the season as the Golden Bears improved to 2-0. Georgia State travels to Tuscaloosa, Alabama on Sunday to take on its first ranked opponent of the season- No. 12 Alabama- at 3 p.m. CT. Alabama began the spring season ranked No. 14, but moved up in the rankings after picking up two wins in its season-opener against Troy and Southern Mississippi.

Visit GeorgiaStateSports.com for updates on all men's tennis action.

Tennis Match Results

Singles competition

1. Zarco, Borja (TTUM) def. Podkrajsek, Nejc (GAST) 7-5, 7-5

2. Cevka, Anze (GAST) def. Gilioli, Tiago (TTUM) 6-2, 3-6, 6-0

3. Elezovic, Aleksandar (GAST) def. Gomez, Juan Pablo (TTUM) 6-1, 6-1

4. O'Brien, Dean (TTUM) def. Adeimy, William (GAST) 6-0, 7-5

5. Vaglietti Giovanni (TTUM) def. Spinks, Trenton (GAST) 6-4, 7-6 (4)

6. Gutierrez, Mario (TTUM) def. Hopper, Ross (GAST) 6-0, 6-2

Doubles competition

1. Podkrajsek, Nejc/Cevka, Anze (GAST) def. Gilioli, Tiago/Gomez, Juan Pablo (TTUM) 8-3

2. O'Brien, Dean/Vaglietti, Giovanni (TTUM) def. Elezovic, Aleksandar/Adeimy, William (GAST) 8-6

3. Zarco, Borja/Gutierrez, Mario (TTUM) def. Spinks, Trenton/Hopper, Ross (GAST) 8-0