One of Rice's most successful men's tennis seasons in history came to an end on Saturday with a 4-1 loss to Baylor in the round of 16 at the 2004 NCAA championships in Tulsa, Okla.
While the team's season has come to a close, three Owls will continue competing later this week in NCAA singles and doubles championships. William and Richard Barker are the top seeds in the doubles tournament, while William Barker and Robert Searle will both be competing in the singles tournament. Pairings and times for the individual championships will be announced on Tuesday with play beginning on Wednesday. The individual tournament runs though May 31.
The 14th-ranked Owls finish the 2004 campaign with a 24-4 record after advancing to the sweet 16 for the first time since the NCAA switched to the current dual-match format in 1977. Under the previous points system, Rice was the national runners-up in 1947, 1968 and 1970.
Rice lost the doubles point for just the second time this season as the second-ranked Bears scored a pair of 8-5 wins at the two and three positions. Play was suspended at the top spot.
Baylor went up 3-0 in the team scoring as Benedikt Dorsch, ranked second nationally, downed the Owls' Robert Searle at No. 1 singles and Matias Marin defeated Richard Barker at No. 3, both with the score of 6-0, 6-3. Tony Haerle got Rice on the scoreboard with his 7-6, 6-3 victory over Matija Zgaga at No. 4 singles. At No. 2 singles, William Barker took the early lead against the Bears' Benjamin Becker, ranked 15th, but Becker avoided the upset to record a 4-6, 6-0, 6-3 win and secure the team victory.