MEN'S TENNIS PULLS AWAY LATE FOR 5-2 WIN OVER UT-ARLINGTON

3/19/2010

ARLINGTON, Texas — The Sacramento State men's tennis team continued its Texas road trip with a 5-2 win over UT-Arlington on Friday afternoon. The Hornets evened their record at 7-7 while UTA fell to 3-6.

Kiryl Harbatsiuk, Anton Stryhas, Jason Smith and Marko Starcevic each recorded a pair of wins to lead the way for Sacramento State.

The Hornets opened the match by sweeping doubles play. Starcevic and Holden Ching recorded the first win with an 8-2 win over Gonzalo Bienzobas and Yauheni Yakauleu at No. 2. The doubles point was then decided with an 8-6 win at No. 3 from Smith and Jimmy Roberts. Harbatsiuk and Stryhas completed the sweep after defeating Dmitry Minkin and Mindaugas Celedinas, 8-5, at No. 1.

The Mavericks tied the match, 2-2, by winning two of the first three singles matches. Smith had stretched Sacramento State's lead to 2-0 after he downed David Subirats, 6-0, 6-1, at No. 3. From that point, Yakauleu and Bienzobas each earned wins at Nos. 4 and 6, respectively. Yakauleu outlasted Holden Ching, 7-6 (5), 6-1 while Bienzobas overcame a first set loss to beat Joe DeGuzman, 1-6, 6-0, 6-0.

With the match tied, the Hornets won the final three singles matches. Starcevic picked up the first point with a 6-2, 6-4, win over Jason Lateko at No. 5. The team then sealed the victory when Stryas fought past Celedinas, 6-3, 7-5, at No. 2.

Harbatsiuk improved to 13-1 overall and 5-0 at No. 1 with a three set win over Dmitry Minkin. The senior won the first set, 6-4, before dropping the second, 6-2. He then bounced back for a 6-3 win in the deciding third set.

The Hornets complete their road trip on Saturday morning against Columbia.

Sacramento State 5, UT-Arlington 2
Singles competition
1. HARBATSIUK, Kiryl (SAC) def. Dmitry Minkin (UTA) 6-4, 2-6, 6-3
2. STRYHAS, Anton (SAC) def. Mindaugas Celedinas (UTA) 6-3, 7-5
3. SMITH, Jason (SAC) def. David Subirats (UTA) 6-0, 6-1
4. Yauheni Yakauleu (UTA) def. CHING, Holden (SAC) 7-6 (7-5), 6-1
5. STARCEVIC, Marko (SAC) def. Jason Lateko (UTA) 6-2, 6-4
6. Gonzalo Bienzobas (UTA) def. DeGUZMAN, Joe (SAC) 1-6, 6-0, 6-0

Doubles competition
1. HARBATSIUK, Kiryl/STRYHAS, Anton (SAC) def. Dmitry Minkin/Mindaugas Celedinas (UTA) 8-5
2. STARCEVIC, Marko/CHING, Holden (SAC) def. Gonzalo Bienzobas/Yauheni Yakauleu (UTA) 8-2
3. SMITH, Jason/ROBERTS, Jimmy (SAC) def. Giacomo Sano/David Subirats (UTA) 8-6

Match Notes:
Sacramento State 7-7
UT-Arlington 3-6
Order of finish: Doubles (2,3,1); Singles (3,4,6,5,2,1)