Sacramento State Men''s Tennis: Back-to-Back-to-Back Big Sky Conference Champions |
PORTLAND, Ore. -The Sacramento State men''s tennis team defeated Idaho State, 4-2, Sunday afternoon, to win its third-consecutive Big Sky Conference Championship and its fifth title in the last six years. The Hornets improved to 12-15 on the year and earn an automatic bid to the NCAA Championships (May 10-11). The Bengals finished the year at 11-11."I cannot believe it," said Hornet head coach Sherif Zaher. "Our guys are just unbelieveable, they never quit. We overcame so much adversity, they just kept fighting and it has paid off again."
Sacramento State began the day by winning two doubles matches to win the point. Junior Nick Sheehan and freshman Anders Albertsen’s match at No. 1 doubles did not finish because the Hornets had captured the doubles’ point. At the two, sophomore Peter Farkas and freshman Lewis Van Splunteren defeated Hestian Stoica and Ioannis Stavridis, 8-4. Freshmen Julien Chatelan and Jakub Sliva won clinched the point for Sacramento State as they defeated Jemre Okoh and Chris Sadek, 8-5, at the three.
In singles play, Sheehan lost a tough three-set match to Malcolm Swan, 6-7 (7-9), 6-2, 6-0, at the No. 1 spot. Albertsen also lost a tough three-set match, falling to Stavridis, 5-7, 6-4, 6-1, at the two. Sliva won his first match of the weekend, defeating Stoica at the three, 6-4, 6-1. Chatelan improved to 13-2 on the year with a 4-6, 6-1, 6-0 win over Adam Krupp at the four. Van Splunteren won his match at No. 5 singles by defeating Okoh, 6-3, 6-1. Farkas’ No. 6 singles match against Pablo Garces did not finish because the Hornets had clinched the championship.
Sacramento State will be making its fourth trip to the NCAA Tournament, but will be looking to advance past the first round for the first time. In 1999, the Hornets fell to Stanford, 4-0. In 2001, No. 2 UCLA swept Sacramento State, 4-0. Last year, Stanford again defeated the Hornets by the same 4-0 score.
Sacramento State 4, Idaho State 2
2003 Big Sky Conference Championship
Portland Tennis Centre
Portland, Ore.
Singles:
1. Malcolm Swan (ISU) def. Nick Sheehan (SAC) 6-7 (7-9), 6-2, 6-0
2. Ioannis Stavridis (ISU) def. Anders Albertson (SAC) 5-7, 6-4, 6-1
3. Jakub Sliva (SAC) def. Hestian Stoica (ISU) 6-4, 6-1
4. Julien Chatelan (SAC) def. Adam Krupp (ISU) 4-6, 6-1, 6-0
5. Lewis Van Splunteren (SAC) def. Jemre Okoh (ISU) 6-3, 6-1
6. Pablo Garces (ISU) vs. Peter Farkas (SAC) DNF
Doubles:
1. Swan and Krupp (ISU) vs. Albertsen and Sheehan (SAC) DNF
2. Farkas and Splunteren (SAC) def. Stoica and Stavridis (ISU) 8-4
3. Chatelan and Sliva (SAC) def. Okoh and Sadek (ISU) 8-5
