MEN’S TENNIS DROPS ANOTHER TIGHT MATCH, THIS TIME AT DENVER

3/5/2010

DENVER – Despite straight set victories from Kiryl Harbatsiuk and Jason Smith, Sacramento State dropped a tightly contested match to 32nd-ranked Denver, 5-2, Friday evening at the CAC-Inverness Indoor Courts.

Earlier in the day, Sacramento State (5-6) defeated conference rival Northern Colorado in Greeley before making the one hour and 15 minute drive to Denver to take on the Pioneers (9-2).

Although the Hornets fell, 5-2, the match could have easily gone the other way. At No. 3, Holden Ching lost to Enej Bonin, 6-4, 5-7, 7-6 (5). Ching was leading in the third set tiebreaker by a 4-2 score before Bonin won five of the next six points. At No. 2, Anton Stryhas fell to David Simson by a 7-6 (7), 7-5 score.

Of Sacramento State’s six losses this season, four have come to opposition ranked among the top 32 teams in the nation. That includes heartbreaking 4-3 losses on the road to 30th-ranked Oklahoma State and 31st-ranked Tulsa.

The Hornets had an opportunity to win today’s doubles point as well, splitting the first two matches. However, playing together for the first time all season, Stryhas and Joe DeGuzman fell at No. 3 (8-6) allowing the Pioneers to grab the doubles point.

As has been the case all season, Harbatsiuk (6-1, 6-4 at No. 1) and Smith (6-0, 6-2 at No. 4) continued to roll in singles play. Harbatsiuk is now 10-1 and has won each of his last nine matches. All 10 of his victories have come in straight sets, and his only loss came to Stanford’s Alex Clayton in a third-set super tiebreaker.

Smith is now 9-2 in singles play and stretched his winning streak to nine consecutive matches. Eight of those victories during the winning streak have come in straight sets.

Rounding out singles play for the Hornets were No. 5 Marko Starcevic and No. 6 Jimmy Roberts, who both lost by 6-3, 6-4 scores.

The Hornets return to action tomorrow when they face Iowa in a match that will be played in Denver at 11 a.m. PST.

Tennis Match Results
Sacramento State vs Denver
Mar 05, 2010 at Denver, Colo.
(CAC-Inverness Indoors)

#32 Denver 5, Sacramento State 2

Singles competition
1. HARBATSIUK, Kiryl (SAC) def. Yannick Weihs (DEN) 6-1, 6-4
2. David Simson (DEN) def. STRYHAS, Anton (SAC) 7-6 (9-7), 7-5
3. Enej Bonin (DEN) def. CHING, Holden (SAC) 6-4, 5-7, 7-6 (7-5)
4. SMITH, Jason (SAC) def. Fabio Biasion (DEN) 6-0, 6-2
5. Jens Vorkefeld (DEN) def. STARCEVIC, Marko (SAC) 6-3, 6-4
6. Andrew Landwerlen (DEN) def. ROBERTS, Jimmy (SAC) 6-3, 6-4

Doubles competition
1. Yannick Weihs/Jens Vorkefeld (DEN) def. CHING, Holden/SMITH, Jason (SAC) 8-4
2. HARBATSIUK, Kiryl/STARCEVIC, Marko (SAC) def. Fabio Biasion/Andrew Landwerlen (DEN) 8-5
3. David Simson/Enej Bonin (DEN) def. STRYHAS, Anton/DeGUZMAN, Joe (SAC) 8-6

Match Notes:
Sacramento State 5-6
Denver 9-2; National ranking #32
Order of finish: Doubles (1,2,3); Singles (1,4,5,6,2,3)