MEN'S TENNIS DROPS HEARTBREAKER TO #18 OKLAHOMA STATE, 4-3

2/6/2009

TULSA, Okla. – Sacramento State suffered a heart-breaking 4-3 loss to 18th-ranked Oklahoma State in non-conference men's tennis action at the Case Tennis Center in Tulsa, Okla., at an event hosted by the University of Tulsa.

The loss is the second straight for the Hornets and third against an opponent ranked in the top 20 this season. The match dropped the Hornets' record to 1-3 and improved the Cowboys' record to 2-1.

The Hornets were able to take two of three from the Cowboys in the doubles matchups to win the doubles point. The 30th-ranked team of sophomore Kiryl Harbatsiuk and junior Anton Stryhas were able to defeat the 13th-ranked team of junior Oleksandr Nedovyesov and senior Nathan Byrnes, 8-6. At No. 2 doubles, sophomore Marko Starcevic and junior Holden Ching were able to hold off a pair of sophomores, Igor Sobolta and Anton Bobytskyi, 9-8. The only loss in doubles came when freshmen Jason Smith and Jimmy Roberts lost to sophomores Aleksey Bessonov and Mikhail Trukshanin, 8-1.

Despite being down 3-1, the Hornets were able to claw back and tie up the match in singles play at 3-3 after Harbatsiuk beat Byrnes at No. 2 (6-3, 6-4) and Ching overcame a first-set loss to defeat Trukshanin in the No. 4 spot, 2-6, 7-5, 7-6.

The most exciting match was at No. 3 where Bessonov bested highly touted recruit Smith 7-5, 5-7, 7-5. With the match tied at 3-3, Smith had Bessonov down 5-4 and a 40-love lead before failing on three straight match points that would have given the Hornets the win. With the score tied at 5-5 and Smith up 40-15, Bessonov again saved two game points before finally besting Smith.

At No. 1, Stryhas lost to fifth-ranked Nedovyesov in straight sets 6-4, 6-4. At No. 6, sophomore Artur Klimenka lost in straight sets to Sobolta 6-2, 6-4.

The Hornets are back in action against host school and 12th-ranked University of Tulsa Saturday morning at 10:30 a.m. PST.

Sacramento State vs Oklahoma State
Feb. 6, 2009 at Tulsa, Oklahoma
(Michael D. Case Tennis Center)

#18 Oklahoma State 4, Sacramento State 3

SINGLES
1. #5 Oleksandr Nedovyesov (OSU) def. STRYHAS, Anton (SAC) 6-4, 6-4
2. HARBATSIUK, Kiryl (SAC) def. Nathan Byrnes (OSU) 6-3, 6-4
3. Aleksey Bessonov (OSU) def. SMITH, Jason (SAC) 7-5, 5-7, 7-5
4. CHING, Holden (SAC) def. Mikhail Trukshanin (OSU) 2-6, 7-5, 7-6
5. Anton Bobytskyi (OSU) def. STARCEVIC, Marko (SAC) 6-1, 6-1
6. Igor Sobolta (OSU) def. KLIMENKA, Artur (SAC) 6-2, 6-4

DOUBLES
1. HARBATSIUK, Kiryl/STRYHAS, Anton (SAC) def. #13 Oleksandr Nedovyesov/Nathan Byrnes (OSU) 8-6
2. STARCEVIC, Marko/CHING, Holden (SAC) def. Anton Bobytskyi/Igor Sobolta (OSU) 9-8
3. Aleksey Bessonov/Mikhail Trukshanin (OSU) def. SMITH, Jason/ROBERTS, Jimmy (SAC) 8-1

Match Notes:
Sacramento State 1-3
Oklahoma State 2-1; National ranking #18
Order of finish: Doubles (3,2,1); Singles (5,6,2,1,4,3)