TULSA, Okla. – Sacramento State picked up its second win of the young season Sunday at the Case Tennis Center in Tulsa, Okla., with a 4-3 victory over Wichita State in non-conference men's tennis action.
With the win, the Hornets, who had lost three straight (each coming to opponents ranked among the top 18 in the nation), improved to 2-4 this season. The loss for the Shockers dropped them to 0-2.
After sweeping the doubles competition to pick up what proved to be a very pivotal doubles point, Sacramento State got straight set singles wins from Kiryl Harbatsiuk (6-0, 6-1), Jason Smith (6-2, 6-1) and Anton Stryhas (6-4, 6-1).
In doubles play, the Hornets’ No. 1 tandem of Harbatsiuk and Stryhas beat Wichita State’s Michal Zawadzki and Jonathan Obrist, 8-2. At No. 2, sophomore Marko Starcevic and junior Holden Ching beat Vlad Marinescu and Adrian Chermaci, 8-6. Finally, at No. 3, the freshmen tandem of Jimmy Roberts and Smith downed David Cavalcanti and Matt Teivans, 8-4.
After Chermaci defeated Starcevic at No. 4 singles (6-1, 6-1) to tie the match at 1-1, the Hornets got victories from Harbatsiuk and Smith to take a commanding 3-1 lead. The Shockers closed to 3-2 after Marinescu defeated Ching at No. 3 (6-1, 6-3). But Stryhas was able to put the match away with a straight-set win over Obrist at No. 2.
Sacramento State finished the three-day, three-match trip to Tulsa with a 1-2 record. Among those two defeats were a 4-3 loss to 18th-ranked Oklahoma State, and a 6-1 loss to 12th-ranked and host Tulsa.
The Hornets will now take the next 12 days off before returning to action for their Big Sky Conference opener at Eastern Washington on Feb. 20. Sacramento State has won each of the last three Big Sky regular-season championships.
Sacramento State vs. Wichita State
Feb 08, 2009 at Tulsa, Oklahoma
(Michael D. Case Tennis Center)
Sacramento State 4, Wichita State 3
Singles competition
1. HARBATSIUK, Kiryl (SAC) def. Michal Zawadzki (WSU) 6-0, 6-1
2. STRYHAS, Anton (SAC) def. Jonathan Obrist (WSU) 6-4, 6-1
3. Vlad Marinescu def. CHING, Holden (SAC) 6-1, 6-3
4. Adrian Chermaci (WSU) def. STARCEVIC, Marko 6-1, 6-1
5. SMITH, Jason (SAC) def. Scott McCormick 6-2, 6-1
6. David Cavalcanti (WSU) def. ROBERTS, Jimmy (SAC) 6-2, 6-2
Doubles competition
1. HARBATSIUK, Kiryl/STRYHAS, Anton def. Michal Zawadzki/Jonathan Obrist 8-2
2. STARCEVIC, Marko/CHING, Holden def Vlad Marinescu/ Adrian Chermaci 8-6
3. ROBERTS, Jimmy /SMITH, Jason def David Cavalcanti/ Matt Teivans 8-4
Match Notes:
Sacramento State 2-4
Wichita State 0-2
Order of finish: Doubles (3,1,2); Singles
TULSA, Okla. – Sacramento State picked up its second win of the young season Sunday at the Case Tennis Center in Tulsa, Okla., with a 4-3 victory over Wichita State in non-conference men's tennis action. 
