HARBATSIUK SETS SCHOOL RECORD BUT MEN'S TENNIS FALLS TO NO. 29 FRESNO STATE, 5-2

4/10/2010

FRESNO, Calif. - Junior Kiryl Harbatsiuk recorded his school record setting 21st straight singles victory, but the Sacramento State men's tennis team fell to the No. 29 ranked Fresno State Bulldogs by a score of 5-2.

With the loss, the Hornets fall to 15-8 overall, while Fresno State improved to 14-8 and remained unbeaten at home with a 8-0 mark. Sacramento State had its unbeaten streak stopped at nine matches, one shy of tying for the school record held by both the 2001 and 2008 squads.

The Hornets dropped the doubles point, but received victories at the No. 1 and No. 3 positions. Harbatsiuk defeated Mirko Zapletal at No. 1 singles in straight sets, 7-5, 6-3. With the victory, he set a new school record with his 21st straight singles win. The previous school record of 20 was held by current teammate senior Anton Stryhas, who set the mark during the 2008 season. Harbatsiuk is now 22-1 on the season, including a 14-0 mark at the No. 1 singles position.

Sophomore Jason Smith improved to 19-4 on the season with a 7-5, 4-6, 1-0 (10-6) victory at No. 3 singles over Remi Boutillier. He has now won 19 of his last 21 matches overall and is 15-3 at the No. 3 singles position.

In other action, senior Holden Ching won the first set via tiebreak before falling in three sets to Tejesvi Veerepalli 6-7 (7-9), 6-0, 6-3. Stryhas and junior Marko Starcevic had long winning streaks snapped in the match, as Stryhas, who is currently hampered by an injury that caused him to not compete against Portland State last night, lost his first match in his last 11 with a 6-1, 6-0 loss to Rikus de Villiers. Starcevic dropped his first match in 10 tries with a 6-0, 6-4 loss at No. 5 singles to David Ayoun.

The Hornets return to action on Monday, April 12 when they take on the San Diego Toreros at 11 a.m. in a neutral site contest in Fresno, Calif.


No. 29 Fresno State 5, Sacramento State 2

Doubles (Fresno State wins the doubles point)
1. No. 19 de Villiers/Boutillier (FS) def. Harbatsiuk/Starcevic (SAC), 8-5
2. Zapletal/Leiby (FS) def. Stryhas/Ching (SAC), 8-3
3. Alapati/Veerepalli (FS) def. Roberts/Smith (SAC), 8-2
Order of Completion: 3, 2, 1

Singles
1. No. 74 Kiryl Harbatsiuk (SAC) def. Mirko Zapletal (FS), 7-5, 6-3
2. Rikus de Villiers (FS) def. Anton Stryhas (SAC), 6-1, 6-0
3. Jason Smith (SAC) def. Remi Boutillier (FS), 7-5, 4-6, 1-0 (10-6)
4. Tejesvi Veerepalli (FS) def. Holden Ching (SAC), 6-7 (9-7), 6-0, 6-3
5. David Ayoun (FS) def. Marko Starcevic (SAC), 6-0, 6-4
6. Siddharth Alapati (FS) def. Tim Lantin (SAC), 6-3, 6-3
Order of Completion: 2, 5, 6*, 1, 3, 4