MEN’S TENNIS IMPROVES TO 6-0 IN CONFERENCE WITH WIN OVER NORTHERN ARIZONA

3/27/2011

Senior Marko Starcevic has now won six straight singles matches after his straight-set win today

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- Kiryl Harbatsiuk, Jason Smith, Marko Starcevic, Javier Millan and Aliaksandr Malko were each victorious in singles play to lead Sacramento State to a 6-1 victory over Northern Arizona in a Big Sky Conference men’s tennis match Sunday afternoon at Rio Del Oro Racquet Club.

With the victory, Sacramento State (10-9, 6-0) improved its stranglehold atop the Big Sky Conference standings. The Hornets need one victory in either of their two remaining conference matches against Eastern Washington (April 1) or Montana (April 6) to clinch the league’s regular season championship and the No. 1 seed in next month’s Big Sky Tournament in Bozeman, Mont.

The Hornets have now won 15 consecutive matches against Big Sky teams dating back to last season, and are seeking to win their fifth straight and 10th regular season title since joining the league prior to the 1997 season. Sacramento State has already won Big Sky regular season crowns in 1998-99, 2001-03, and 2007-10.

Northern Arizona dropped to 4-10 overall and 2-1 in the Big Sky with the loss. Besides the Hornets, the Lumberjacks were the lone remaining team in the Big Sky with an undefeated conference record heading into today.

Harbatsiuk (6-1, 6-3), Starcevic (6-0, 7-5), Millan (6-3, 6-4) and Malko (7-5, 6-3) each won in straight sets as Sacramento State had little trouble against the Lumberjacks. Harbatsiuk (17 straight), Millan (seven straight) and Starcevic (six straight) all improved upon their winning streaks in singles play.

In doubles play, the Hornet tandems of Harbatsiuk/Starcevic (8-6), Malko/Smith (9-8) and Millan/Lorentzen (8-4) were each victorious as Sacramento State picked up the doubles point.

Sacramento State returns to action on Friday, April 1, when the team travels to Cheney, Wash., to take on Eastern Washington. The Hornets then play their final home match of the season against Montana on April 6.

Sacramento State 6, Northern Arizona 1

Singles competition
1. #29 HARBATSIUK, Kiryl (SACMEN) def. RAMADIER, Hugo (NAU) 6-1, 6-3
2. SMITH, Jason (SACMEN) def. SCHIMMELBAUER, P (NAU) 6-3, 3-6, 6-3
3. STARCEVIC, Marko (SACMEN) def. PEZZUTTO, Robin (NAU) 6-3, 7-6 (7-2)
4. FLODBERG, David (NAU) def. LORENTZEN, Josh (SACMEN) 6-0, 7-5
5. MILLAN, Javier (SACMEN) def. BERMUDEZ, Dominic (NAU) 6-3, 6-4
6. MALKO, Aliaksandr (SACMEN) def. BROWN, Josh (NAU) 7-5, 6-3

Doubles competition
1. HARBATSIUK, Kiryl/STARCEVIC, Marko (SACMEN) def. BERMUDEZ, Dominic/RAMADIER, Hugo (NAU) 8-6
2. MALKO, Aliaksandr/SMITH, Jason (SACMEN) def. PEZZUTTO, Robin/FLODBERG, David (NAU) 9-8 (7-5)
3. MILLAN, Javier/LORENTZEN, Josh (SACMEN) def. SCHIMMELBAUER, P/LANTZ, Ben (NAU) 8-4

Match Notes:
Northern Arizona 4-10, 2-1
Sacramento State 10-9, 6-0
Order of finish: Doubles (1,3,2); Singles (1,5,4,3,6,2)