Match Notes: UNLV & UC Riverside
BENGALS IN ACTION THIS WEEK
The Idaho State men's tennis team travels to Las Vegas to play two dual matches against UNLV and UC Riverside. UNLV hosts the Bengals on Saturday, Feb. 12 at 2 p.m. while UC Riverside and the Bengals will play a neutral contest on Sunday, Feb. 13 at 10 a.m. on UNLV's courts.
ABOUT BENGAL MEN
The Bengals are 0-3 for the season but have had competitive matches against Utah State and Weber State. Over the season, the Bengals have seen nine tiebreakers and five three set matches.
Nate Gross, a sophomore, leads the Bengals with a 3-1 singles record and 1-2 in doubles at the No. 3 spot. Freshman
Diego Cavalcanti is a true fighter as he has played four three set matches, three tie breakers and three super ten-point tie breakers.
GROSS AND AZEVEDO SINGLES STANDOUTS
Gross and freshman
Gilberto Azevedo have both been reliable players for the singles point with both capturing wins against Utah State and Weber State. Gross also earned the Bengals a point against Montana. Both players have earned their way up the line-up: G. Azevedo moving from No. 3 to No. 1 while Gross moved from No. 6 to No. 4. G. Azevedo captured his last victory at the No. 2 spot.
MEN'S SINGLES STANDOUT - GROSS
Sophomore
Nate Gross is ISU's best singles performer with a 3-1 record overcoming Utah State's Lenny Whiting 7-5, 6-2 at the No. 6 spot, Montana's David Cysneiros 6-4, 7-6 (7-1) at the No. 5 spot, and Weber State's Ciao Poitena 6-4, 6-3 at the No. 4 spot. Gross' win over Utah State marked his second straight season opening singles victory. He dropped his first singles match of the season when he was moved up to the No. 4 spot against defending conference tournament champion Sacramento State. Gross took his opponent to two tiebreaker sets.
BENGAL MEN POST DOUBLES WINS
ISU has captured two doubles matches this season, both at the No. 3 spot, but have yet to secure the doubles point. Senior
Danel Barrenechea and junior transfer
Rodrigo Azevedo also captured a victory in the doubles draw. The Bengals teamed up at the No. 3 spot for the first time. The Bengals fought back from being down a break at 4-5 to overcoming Ben De Marois and Michael Facey 8-6.
Colton Pate and
Nate Gross teamed up at the No. 3 doubles spot to post their first doubles win of the season together overcoming Joe DeGuzman and Josh Lorentzen 8-3.
CAVALCANTI CAPTURES FIRST SINGLES WIN AS BENGAL
Freshman
Diego Cavalcanti, of Sao Paulo, Brazil, captured his first victory as a Bengal defeating Sacramento State's Mark Starcevic in three sets at the No. 3 spot in Idaho State's first conference dual match of the season. Cavalcanti fell in a tiebreaker in the first set 7-6 (7-5) but quickly turned his game around easily overcoming Starcevic 6-1 and 6-4 in the second and third sets.
FRESHMAN AZEVEDO SHOWS TALENT IN FIRST MATCH
Freshman
Gilberto Azevedo nearly crushed his opponent Frederick Peterson at the No. 3 spot in a 6-1, 6-2 decision in his first collegiate match. G. Azevedo captured the first five games before Peterson could put himself on the scoreboard and in the second set Azevedo opened with a four-game run. His talent moved him up to the No. 1 spot in the Bengal line-up.
BARRENECHEA HOLDS CAREER HIGHS
Barrenechea posts the most singles wins in a career since the 2007 season with 14. He is 14-31 (31.1 percent) over his career. Since 2007 he also ties for the most doubles wins in a career at nine with former Bengal Gal Horovits.
ABOUT UNLV
UNLV posts a 6-3 record having won three of their last four games. The Rebels come off a 6-1 victory over Utah State having swept the doubles. UNLV is led by Mehdi Bouras at the No. 1 spot. He was named the 2009 All-Mountain West Freshman of the Year. UNLV leads the series 3-0 in the last eight years. In the last meeting No. 65 UNLV defeated Idaho State 7-0 in 2009.
ABOUT UC RIVERSIDE
UC Riverside is 1-7 for the season having captured its only victory over Vanguard in a 5-2 effort. In UC Riverside's last match they fell 6-1 to Utah State at UNLV. Austin Andres was the only victory of the day at the No. 3 spot. Quoc Doan leads UC Riverside at the No. 1 spot where he holds a 1-2 record. It is Idaho State and UC Riverside's first meeting.
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