Ag team hits big at tourney
this past weekend at the Utah Invitational.
“We moved a little bit better in this tournament,” Coach Christian Wright said referring to the team’s improvement since last month.
The Aggies, competing in their second campaign of the fall season, faced opponents from Weber State, host school University of Utah, as well as head-to-head competition from their own teammates.
Leading the way for the Aggies in the singles bracket was junior Dantley Young. After losing in the first round of the main draw to Utah’s Jason Yap, Young rebounded to win four straight matches and capture the consolation title.
Also posting wins in the singles bracket were aggies Mike Banks, Lukas Bouton, Jonas Tyden, and fifth-seeded senior Joao Pinho. After receiving a bye in the first round, Pinho defeated Dan Mascall of Utah by a score of 4-6, 6-0, 6-3. Pinho went on to lose his quarterfinal match to fourth-seeded Nick Coults of Utah, 6-2, 7-5.
In doubles action, USU’s team of Pinho and J.J. Netto advanced to the
semifinals by defeating Utah’s team of Dan Mascall and Tomasz Grzyb, 8 to 6. Pinho and Netto lost their semifinal match to the Utah combo of Jason Yap and Nick Coutts by a score of 8 to 3.
The Aggies now travel to Las Vegas for the ITA Regionals, which begin Wednesday.
With little time for the men to prepare, Wright commented on what the Aggies need to work on.
“We’re going to try to focus on returns and staying balanced,” Wright said.
The ITA Regionals will be held at the brand new Amanda & Stacey Darling
Memorial Tennis Center in Las Vegas.
-jhislop@cc.usu.edu