The Seattle University men’s tennis squad had a busy day Monday, playing two matches at the Darling Tennis Center in Las Vegas, Nev.
Western New Mexico 4, Seattle University 3
The Redhawks began the day with a tight 4-3 match against Western New Mexico. The Mustangs claimed the early advantage by winning the doubles point, but Flavio Malagutti (Rio Claro, Brazil) and Kyle Rapp (Encinitas, Calif.) avoided a doubles sweep by beating WNMU’s Jorge Carretero and Mattieu Covizzi 8-3.
The match came down to singles play, which saw two matches enter third sets while one had multiple set tiebreaks. Ian Clare (Sachse, Texas) won by default at No. 3 singles, but not before taking a commanding third-set lead. Clare took the first set 6-4, but opponent Alvaro Nunez claimed the second 5-7. After Clare raced out to a 5-0 lead in the third Nunez retired from an injury, giving the win to Clare.
Rapp also played a three-set match at No. 4 singles, where he lost the first set to Francisco Damasio 6-4 before winning the second 3-6. Damasio prevailed 6-3 in the third and final set, however, and won the point for the Mustangs. At No. 1 singles, Kevin Lynch (Colorado Springs, Colo.) played a close match with Juan Pablo Fuentes, forcing tiebreaks in both sets. Lynch could not put together enough points at the end of either set, however, and fell 7-6(7-4), 7-6(7-4).
Malagutti continued his winning ways into singles matches, defeating Roy Ulibarri 6-1, 6-3, while Jason Bediones (Kent, Wash.) also won his morning singles match by a score of 6-4, 6-4 in the sixth singles position.
Youngstown State 6, Seattle University 1
In the afternoon session, the Redhawks fell 6-1 to Youngstown State, with recently-named WAC Player of the Week Zach Kosanke (Bellevue, Wash.) claiming the sole point for Seattle U.
In his No. 2 singles match, Kosanke took an early lead by winning the first set 6-4. His opponent, Felipe Rosa, won the second 4-6, but Kosanke came back in the super tiebreak third set and prevailed 10-6 for his sixth singles victory on the year, the most on the team.
Bediones also played a third set against competition from Youngstown State, swapping 6-2 scores with Victor Theorin in the first two sets. Theorin took the third set 6-3, however, and won the point for Penguins.
The Redhawks also forced extra tennis in the No. 1 doubles slot as well. There, Bediones and Lynch sent the contest with Youngstown State’s Sebastian Hagn and Dawoud Kabli into a tiebreak to decide the winner. The duo from Seattle U couldn’t string together enough points, however, and fell 8-7(7-4).
Seattle University (1-14) will wrap up its time in Las Vegas with a contest against in-state rival Eastern Washington Tuesday, March 24. That match will start at 9:00 a.m.
Western New Mexico 4, Seattle University 3
Doubles
1) Lopez/Fuentes (WNMU) def. Lynch/Bediones (SU) 8-5
2) Damasio/Nunez (WNMU) def. Kosanke/Clare (SU) 8-5
3) Malagutti/Rapp (SU) def. Carretero/Covizzi (WNMU) 8-3
Singles
1) Juan Pablo Fuentes (WNMU) def. Kevin Lynch (SU) 7-6(7-4), 7-6(7-4)
2) Mattieu Covizzi (WNMU) def. Zach Kosanke (SU) 6-1, 6-4
3) Ian Clare (SU) def. Alvaro Nunez (WNMU) 6-4, 5-7, 5-0 (ret.)
4) Francisco Damasio (WNMU) def. Kyle Rapp (SU) 6-4, 3-6, 6-3
5) Flavio Malagutti (SU) def. Roy Ulibarri (WNMU) 6-1, 6-3
6) Jason Bediones (SU) def. Jorge Carretero (WNMU) 6-4, 6-4
Youngstown State 6, Seattle University 1
Doubles
1) Hagn/Kabli (YSU) def. Lynch/Bediones (SU) 8-7 (7-4)
2) Ismail/Campos (YSU) def. Kosanke/Clare (SU) 8-5
3) Mistreanu/Rosa (YSU) def. Malagutti/Rapp (SU) 8-0
Singles
1) Sebastian Hagn (YSU) def. Kevin Lynch (SU) 6-3, 6-0
2) Zach Kosanke (SU) def. Felipe Rosa (YSU) 6-4, 4-6, (10-6)
3) Zeeshan Ismail (YSU) def. Ian Clare (SU) 6-4, 6-3
4) Rodrigo Campos (YSU) def. Kyle Rapp (SU) 6-3, 6-1
5) Max Schmerin (YSU) def. Flavio Malagutti (SU) 6-1, 6-4
6) Victor Theorin (YSU) def. Jason Bediones (SU) 2-6, 6-2, 6-3