MEN'S TENNIS STUNNED BY SAINT MARY'S IN SUNDAY MATINEE
2/27/2011
Javier Millan gave Sacramento State a 3-2 lead after winning at No. 6.
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Saint Mary's used a tie-breaking win in doubles and a pair of three-set singles victories to upset Sacramento State, 4-3, in men's tennis, Sunday afternoon at Rio Del Oro Racquet Club.
The loss dropped the Hornets to 4-6 while the Gaels improved to 4-3.
Saint Mary's jumped to a 1-0 lead by winning a pair of doubles matches. Lucas Tirelli and Saad Benkirane defeated Aliaksandr Malko and Javier Millan, 8-3, at the No. 2 match before Kiryl Harbatsiuk and Marko Starcevic evened play with a 9-7 win at No. 1.
The deciding point came at the No. 3 match where Joakim Norstrom and Steven Daws-Roberts outlasted Jason Smith and Josh Lorentzen, 9-8 (7-4).
In singles play, Harbatsiuk put Sacramento State on the board with a quick 6-1, 6-4, win at No. 1. The Gaels answered back with a victory at No. 5 from Norstrom before Malko tied the match at 2-2 with a 6-1, 6-3, win over Saad at No. 4.
Sacramento State took its first lead of the day after Millan downed Roberts, 6-4, 6-1, at No. 6.
Trailing 3-2, SMC went the distance in both remaining matches to secure the victory. At No. 2, Tirelli took advantage of a first set tie-breaker to defeat Smith, 7-6 (4), 2-6, 6-2. Sherif Hamdy provided the clinching point with a 7-5, 2-6, 6-2 win over Starcevic at No. 3.
Sascramento State returns to action on March 4 at Arizona.
Saint Mary's 4, Sacramento State 3 Feb 27, 2011 at Sacramento, Calif. (Rio Del Oro Racquet Club)
