ARIZONA STATE 4, LOYOLA MARYMOUNT 2
The Arizona State men's tennis team captured its first victory of the season, defeating Loyola Marymount 4-2 in the first match of the inaugural ASU Invitational.
In their first win in over 10 years, the Sun Devils found themselves behind early on after conceding the doubles point to the Lions. Tim Ruehl and Benjamin Hannestad fought hard, but dropped their match on court two, 4-6. Thomas Wright and Andrea Bolla followed soon after, battling their match into a tiebreaker but dropping it 6-7. Playing clinch-clinch, the match with Michaël Geerts and Makey Rakotomalala was suspended.
The Devils were down but not out, as Geerts notched his first victory of the spring season defeating Gabriel Diaz Freire 6-2,6-2. to tie the game up at one. Andrea Bolla gave the Devils their first lead of the season when he won his first collegiate match on court five, as he beat Charles Boyce 6-2, 6-5.
A solid one-point lead allowed Tim Ruehl improved to 6-4 overall and give the Devils a 3-1 lead after taking down Errol Smith 7-6, 6-1. The Lions fought back down 3-1, getting their second point of the morning on court six as Nick Borchenko defeated Will Kirkman 6-4, 2-6, 6-3.
With ASU needing just one point to clinch the victory, it came down to Makey Rakotomalala to seal the victory for the maroon and gold on court two. Rakotomalala dropped the first set 3-6, but battled back to win the second match by a 6-1 margin. The third set was a close one, one Rakotomalala proved to come out on top and clinch the game-winning point, 6-4.
Benjamin Hannestad and Lukas Moenter were playing a tightly contested match (6-2, 2-6, 6-5) as they were suspended in set three after the ASU clinch.
Doubles Finishes
1. Geerts/Rakotomalala (ASU) vs. Boyce/Moenter (LMU), 6-6 susp.
2. Borchenko/Diaz Freire (LMU) def. Ruehl/Hannestad (ASU), 4-6
3. Nava/Smith (LMU) def. Wright/Bolla (ASU), 6-7 (5)
Order of Finish: 2, 3
Singles Finishes
1. Geerts def. Diaz Freire, 6-2 6-2
2. Rakotomalala def. Moreno, 3-6 6-1 6-4
3. Moenter vs. Hannestad, 6-2, 2-6, 6-5 susp.
4. Ruehl def. Smith, 6-4 6-1
5. Bolla def. Boyce, 6-2, 7-5
6. Borchenko def. Kirkman, 4-6, 6-2, 3-6
Order of Finish: 1, 5, 4, 6, 2
ARIZONA STATE 4, FRESNO STATE 0
In their second game of the ASU Invitational, the Sun Devils swept the Fresno State Bulldogs, 4-0, at the Whiteman Tennis Center.
The two-day game spanned both days of the Invite, beginning on Friday evening when ASU pulled to a 3-0 lead over the Bulldogs before suspending the final three singles matches due to insufficient light.
In the evening matchup, both teams began play with singles. The Devils (1-3) got off to a hot start early on, with both courts one and two making quick work of the Bulldogs to pull to an early lead.
Makey Rakotomalala was the first to finish, gliding by Zdenek Derkas of Fresno 6-1, 6-2. Rakotomalala ended the afternoon a perfect 2-0, bringing his career singles record up to 4-1, good for the best record on the Devils.
His doubles partner Michaël Geerts followed soon after, also defeating the Bulldogs rather easily by a final of 6-2, 6-1.
Riding the huge momentum the previous two created, Tim Ruehl battled in a tiebreaker first set to claim the third victory of the match. After a 7-6 first set, Ruehl kicked it into overdrive, locking in to pull to a huge 6-1 lead and .
Before any other Devil could finish the match, officials suspended play due to insufficient lighting at Whiteman as the sun began to set on the evening. The remaining matches were picked up first thing Saturday morning, with Hannestad on court three, Wright on five and Kirkman on six.
Hannestad quickly won the game-clinching point, as he went into the match tied 1-1 in sets with Jeremy Mosers of Fresno State. Entering a decisive third set, Hannestad controlled the game from the beginning, pulling out to a 6-4 victory to give ASU it's second-straight win.
Wright and Kirkman's play on five and six were both suspended, as the Devils has clinched the victory.
The Devils are back in action later today as they take on the Cal Poly Mustangs at 1 p.m. at the Whiteman Tennis Center. Fans can follow the action of the ASU Invite and get updates all day long on @SunDevilMTennis on Twitter.
Singles Finishes
The Arizona State men's tennis team captured its first victory of the season, defeating Loyola Marymount 4-2 in the first match of the inaugural ASU Invitational.
DEVILS WIN, DEVILS WIN ??????
— Sun Devil M. Tennis (@SunDevilMTennis) February 9, 2018
Makey takes his match on court two to propel the Devils to victory! pic.twitter.com/koQaXQvGqS
In their first win in over 10 years, the Sun Devils found themselves behind early on after conceding the doubles point to the Lions. Tim Ruehl and Benjamin Hannestad fought hard, but dropped their match on court two, 4-6. Thomas Wright and Andrea Bolla followed soon after, battling their match into a tiebreaker but dropping it 6-7. Playing clinch-clinch, the match with Michaël Geerts and Makey Rakotomalala was suspended.
The Devils were down but not out, as Geerts notched his first victory of the spring season defeating Gabriel Diaz Freire 6-2,6-2. to tie the game up at one. Andrea Bolla gave the Devils their first lead of the season when he won his first collegiate match on court five, as he beat Charles Boyce 6-2, 6-5.
A solid one-point lead allowed Tim Ruehl improved to 6-4 overall and give the Devils a 3-1 lead after taking down Errol Smith 7-6, 6-1. The Lions fought back down 3-1, getting their second point of the morning on court six as Nick Borchenko defeated Will Kirkman 6-4, 2-6, 6-3.
With ASU needing just one point to clinch the victory, it came down to Makey Rakotomalala to seal the victory for the maroon and gold on court two. Rakotomalala dropped the first set 3-6, but battled back to win the second match by a 6-1 margin. The third set was a close one, one Rakotomalala proved to come out on top and clinch the game-winning point, 6-4.
Family?? pic.twitter.com/1c5Bam6bDg
— Sun Devil M. Tennis (@SunDevilMTennis) February 9, 2018
Benjamin Hannestad and Lukas Moenter were playing a tightly contested match (6-2, 2-6, 6-5) as they were suspended in set three after the ASU clinch.
Doubles Finishes
1. Geerts/Rakotomalala (ASU) vs. Boyce/Moenter (LMU), 6-6 susp.
2. Borchenko/Diaz Freire (LMU) def. Ruehl/Hannestad (ASU), 4-6
3. Nava/Smith (LMU) def. Wright/Bolla (ASU), 6-7 (5)
Order of Finish: 2, 3
Singles Finishes
1. Geerts def. Diaz Freire, 6-2 6-2
2. Rakotomalala def. Moreno, 3-6 6-1 6-4
3. Moenter vs. Hannestad, 6-2, 2-6, 6-5 susp.
4. Ruehl def. Smith, 6-4 6-1
5. Bolla def. Boyce, 6-2, 7-5
6. Borchenko def. Kirkman, 4-6, 6-2, 3-6
Order of Finish: 1, 5, 4, 6, 2
ARIZONA STATE 4, FRESNO STATE 0
In their second game of the ASU Invitational, the Sun Devils swept the Fresno State Bulldogs, 4-0, at the Whiteman Tennis Center.
The two-day game spanned both days of the Invite, beginning on Friday evening when ASU pulled to a 3-0 lead over the Bulldogs before suspending the final three singles matches due to insufficient light.
In the evening matchup, both teams began play with singles. The Devils (1-3) got off to a hot start early on, with both courts one and two making quick work of the Bulldogs to pull to an early lead.
Makey Rakotomalala was the first to finish, gliding by Zdenek Derkas of Fresno 6-1, 6-2. Rakotomalala ended the afternoon a perfect 2-0, bringing his career singles record up to 4-1, good for the best record on the Devils.
His doubles partner Michaël Geerts followed soon after, also defeating the Bulldogs rather easily by a final of 6-2, 6-1.
Second W of the day ?? Michael takes down Mantas Bugailskis 6-2,6-1 ???? pic.twitter.com/AfQpoI6t0a
— Sun Devil M. Tennis (@SunDevilMTennis) February 10, 2018
Riding the huge momentum the previous two created, Tim Ruehl battled in a tiebreaker first set to claim the third victory of the match. After a 7-6 first set, Ruehl kicked it into overdrive, locking in to pull to a huge 6-1 lead and .
Before any other Devil could finish the match, officials suspended play due to insufficient lighting at Whiteman as the sun began to set on the evening. The remaining matches were picked up first thing Saturday morning, with Hannestad on court three, Wright on five and Kirkman on six.
Hannestad quickly won the game-clinching point, as he went into the match tied 1-1 in sets with Jeremy Mosers of Fresno State. Entering a decisive third set, Hannestad controlled the game from the beginning, pulling out to a 6-4 victory to give ASU it's second-straight win.
Wright and Kirkman's play on five and six were both suspended, as the Devils has clinched the victory.
The Devils are back in action later today as they take on the Cal Poly Mustangs at 1 p.m. at the Whiteman Tennis Center. Fans can follow the action of the ASU Invite and get updates all day long on @SunDevilMTennis on Twitter.
Singles Finishes
- Geerts (ASU) def. Bugailiskis (FRES), 6-2 6-1
- Rakotomalala (ASU) def. Derkas (FRES), 6-1 6-2
- Hannestad (ASU) vs. Moser (FRES), 4-6 6-2 6-4
- Ruehl (ASU) def. Soke (FRES), 7-6 6-1
- Wright (ASU) vs. Erturk (FRES), 6-4 1-6 4-1 SUSP
- Kirkman (ASU) vs. Osorio (FRES), 6-3 4-6 1-1 SUSP