San Luis Obispo, Calif. –– The USF men's tennis team started off strong against Cal Poly on Saturday by winning the doubles point, but the Dons could not hold off the Mustangs, who defended their home court with a 4-3 win.Â
Despite dropping the No. 2 doubles match to kick off the day, the Dons battled back to win the doubles point and go up 1-0 in the match.
Nils Skajaa and
Vasco Valverde took down Ben Donovan and Corey Pang in the No. 1 match, winning 6-4. Then,
Jason Lee and
Christian Brockstedt clinched the doubles point with a 6-3 win over Ben Cardiff and Karl Enander at No. 3.Â
However, Cal Poly swung the momentum back in their favor in singles play, rattling off four straight wins (No. 4, No. 1, No. 3, No. 2) to claim the match.
Ryan Marker and Valverde, playing at No. 2 and No. 3 singles respectively, were both in winning positions but could not close out their matches. USF's
Thomas Takemoto put together a very strong performance at No. 5, winning 6-3, 2-6, 6-4 over Axel Damiens for his first singles win of 2016.
Woravin Kumthonkittikul then won at No. 6, taking down Rafael Lenhard 6-2, 3-6, 6-4. Despite winning back-to-back singles matches, it was too little, too late for the Green and Gold.
The Dons will return to action on Saturday at UC Santa Barbara at 1 p.m.
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Singles Competition
1. Ben Donovan (CP) def. Nils Skajaa (USF) 6-3, 6-2
2. Garrett Auproux (CP) def. Ryan Marker (USF) 4-6, 6-4, 6-2
3. Corey Pang (CP) def. Vasco Valverde (USF) 6-1, 2-6, 6-4
4. Josh Ortlip (CP) def. Tynan Maguire (USF) 6-1, 6-2
5. Thomas Takemoto (USF) def. Axel Damiens (CP) 6-3, 2-6, 6-4 6. W. Kumthonkittikul (USF) def. Rafael Lenhard (CP) 6-2, 3-6, 6-4
Doubles Competition
1. Nils Skajaa/Vasco Valverde (USF) def. Ben Donovan/Corey Pang (CP) 6-4
2. Garrett Auproux/Tim Tan (CP) def. Thomas Takemoto/Ryan Marker (USF) 6-1
3. Jason Lee/Christian Brockstedt (USF) def. Dan Cardiff/Karl Enander (CP) 6-3Â
