POCATELLO, Idaho- The Idaho State men's tennis team played a double header with the University of Utah on Saturday in Salt Lake City. The Bengals lost both matches 5-2. Despite the losses, coach
Alexander Free came away pleased with how his team battled. In both matches Idaho State earned the doubles point.
"Two really tough battles today against a quality Utah team," Free said. "They guys competed hard and gave themselves chances to win on every court. It's good to see that we can compete with the best in the country in doubles and now we need to have a great week of practice in order to have a complete team performance next weekend vs. a tough Montana State team."
In the first match, ISU lost 5-2 but the Bengals won the double point. At No. 2 doubles
Robert Steinhauser and
Hiroki Fujita beat Francisco Bastias and Slava Shainyan 7-6 (7-3). At No. 3 doubles,
Jaime Castillo-Lopez and
Gary Rendek beat Chris Heck and Mathias Gavelin 6-2.
The lone singles win came when Fujita beat Bruno Krenn, 7-6 (6-5), 6-2 at No. 5 singles.
At No. 1 singles
Patrik Trhac lost a hard-fought, 6-3, 5-7, 1-0 (10-4) match.
Aleksander Petrovic lost 6-4, 6-2 at No. 2 singles while
Jaime Castillo-Lopez lost 6-2, 6-1 at No. 3 singles. At No. 4 singles Rendek lost 6-2, 6-3 and at No. 6 singles Steinhauser lost 6-4, 6-1.
In the second match of the day, Trhac and Petrovic earned a 7-5 win at No. 1 doubles over Franco Capalbo and Geronimo Busleiman.
Wikus Robbertse and Castillo-Lopez earned a 7-6 (7-2) win at No. 3 doubles.
Idaho State's lone win in singles play came when Fujita beat Bastias 6-0, 6-3.
Idaho State plays two matches in Bozeman Feb. 6 vs. Pacific (Ore.) and Feb. 7 at Montana State.
