LOGAN, Utah — Utah State men's tennis came back from a 3-0 deficit to tie the match at 3-3 before losing to Portland, 4-3, on Sunday at the Sports Academy & Racquet Club. It is USU's sixth loss this season by a score of 4-3.
USU fell into an early hole in doubles play. Juniors Roko Savin and David Cierny earned a victory on court three but losses on courts one and two sunk the Aggies into a 1-0 deficit entering singles play, where two more wins for the Pilots at the first and third position put Portland up in the match, 3-0.
The Aggies mounted a furious comeback starting at the fourth position. Freshman Sergi Mico Fenollar outlasted Portland's Issa Yoshida in a marathon tiebreak to conclude the second set and escape with the victory, 6-2, 7-6 (13-11). Junior Bodin Zarkovic stretched his unbeaten streak to 10 matches with a win at the No. 2-spot over Eleftherios Neos, 6-3, 6-7 (6), 6-4.Junior Javier Ruiz then squared the match at three apiece with a straight-sets win at the sixth position, 6-2, 6-3, over Portland's Nikolas Tvedt.
USU's comeback hopes came to an end at the sixth position as the Pilots won a third-set tiebreak to seal the victory for Portland.
The Aggies are set to conclude the non-conference portion of their schedule on Saturday, March 26, at BYU at 1 p.m. (MT).
Fans can follow USU's men's tennis team on Twitter @USUMensTennis, on Facebook at /UtahStateMensTennis or on Instagram at USUMensTennis. Aggie fans can also follow the Utah State athletic program on Twitter, @USUAthletics, Facebook at /USUAthletics and on Instagram, @USUAthletics.
RESULTS
Utah State 3, Portland 4
Sports Academy & Racquet Club
Logan, Utah
Doubles
1. Eleftherios Neos/Issa Yoshida (UP) def. Jack Ninteman/Javier Ruiz (USU) 6-3
2. Sema Pankin/Nikolas Tvedt (UP) def. Felipe Acosta/Bodin Zarkovic (USU) 7-5
3. David Cierny/Roko Savin (USU) def. Nicolas Ocana/Julien Penzlin (UP) 6-2
Singles
1. Pankin (UP) def. Cierny (USU) 7-6 (5), 6-3
2. Zarkovic (USU) def. Neos (UP) 6-3, 6-7 (6), 6-4
3. Penzlin (UP) def. Acosta (USU) 6-3, 6-4
4. Sergi Mico Fenollar (USU) def. Yoshida (UP) 6-2, 7-6 (11)
5. Nicolas Ocana (UP) def. Savin (USU) 0-6, 7-5, 7-6 (3)
6. Ruiz (USU) def. Tvedt (UP) 6-2, 6-3
Match Notes
Utah State: 6-8 (0-0 MW)
Portland: 4-6 (0-1 WCC)
Order of finish: Doubles (1, 3, 2); Singles (3, 1, 4, 2, 6, 5)
- USU -
