DENVER, Colorado — Utah State men's tennis lost to Denver, 6-1, on Friday at Denver Tennis Park. 

The Pioneers took the early lead by securing the doubles point with a 6-1 and 6-2 victory at the second and third positions. Seniors David Cierny and Bodin Zarkovic won their match with a 6-3 win over Denver at the top spot. 

In singles play, senior David Cierny gave USU it's lone point of the day with a victory at the first position, posting a 4-6, 6-4, 6-1 win over Denver's Daniel Sancho Arbizu.  

The Aggies went on to lose at the rest of the singles positions, but not without a fight. Zarkovic along with fellow senior Javier Ruiz, and junior Stijn Paardekooper lost in straight sets. However, Ruiz took his opponent into a tiebreak during the first set, which he lost 7-6 (4). 

Senior Roko Savin had a heated match as usual in the fourth position, but with an outcome that wasn't in his favor. Savin took the first set in a 7-6(4) tiebreak win but lost the remaining sets with 7-5, 11-9 scores. 

On court five, freshman Nuno Pinheiro defeated his opponent in a first set 6-4 win. Pinheiro's match finished when his opponent took the point for Denver with a pair of 6-4 wins in the second and third set. 

Utah State returns to action tomorrow, Saturday, Feb. 18, at 12:30 p.m. (MT) to play the University of Idaho in a neutral match in Denver, Colorado. 

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.  

Utah State 1, Denver 6  
Denver, Colorado 
Denver Tennis Park 

RESULTS  

Doubles  
1. Cierny/Zarkovic (USU) def. Sallay/Miller (DU) 6-3  
2. Herrero Cuesta/Sriniketh (DU) def. Paardekooper/Pinheiro (USU) 6-1  
3. Sancho Arbizu/Papajcik (DU) def. Ruiz/Savin (USU) 6-2 

Singles  
1. David Cierny (USU) def. Daniel Sancho Arbizu (DU) 4-6, 6-4, 6-1 
2. Nicolas Herrero Cuesta (DU) def. Bodin Zarkovic (USU) 6-3, 6-3  
3. Peter Sallay (DU) def. Stijn Pardekooper (USU) 6-4, 6-3 
4. Anish Sriniketh (DU) def. Roko Savin (USU) 6-7(4), 7-5, 11-9 
5. Conner Olsen (DU) def. Nuno Pinheiro (USU) 4-6, 6-4, 6-4 
6. Raffaello Papajcik (DU) def. Javier Ruiz (USU) 7-6(4), 6-4 

Match Notes  
Utah State: 3-4 (0-0 MW)  
Denver: 4-4 (0-0 Summit League)  
Order of finish: Doubles (2,3,1); Singles (2,3,6,1,4,5)  

 - USU -