Aggies win doubles, second match of season
The Utah State men’s tennis team sent the Mesa State College Mavericks limping back home after defeating them 6-1 in just under three hours Saturday.
In less than 34 minutes, USU swept doubles and closed out the Mavericks for the opening point.
“I love how we came out in doubles. This is our third doubles match point in a row, and we played strong,” assistant coach Bryan Marchant said.
Delivering the first loss to Mesa, the No. 1 doubles pairing of junior Sven Poslusny and freshman Marcus Fritz defeated Brason Hollabraugh and Andres Hernadez. The Aggie duo relentlessly attacked the net and kept momentum high, eventually taking the match 8-1.
No. 2 doubles freshman Matt Sweet and senior Nate Ballam dismissed Forrest Kennel and Jordan Lyden in similar fashion. Sweet’s and Ballam’s soft touch and tactful angles split the Mavericks for easy open-court winners, taking the match 8-3.
Brothers Andrew and Lenny Whiting held down the No. 3 doubles spot against John Hendrickson and Sterling Inoyue, bageling their opponents 8-0.
After securing the doubles point, the Aggies moved on to singles action.
No. 1 singles player Poslusny’s pounding serves reverberated throughout the Sports Academy courts each time the German native swung his racket at the baseline. Mesa State’s Hollabraugh had no answer to the junior’s strong serves and penetrating forehands, as Poslusny took the match 6-2, 6-1 in less than 40 minutes.
“Poslusny definitely likes to go for shots and likes to be the aggressor,” Marchant said. “When his first serve is working, the rest just falls into place.”
No. 2 singles player Fritz dominated the first set against Hernadez but struggled in the second. Pulling his game together, the Swedish freshman finished off his opponent 6-1, 6-3.
Aggie Fredrick Peterson returned to action after missing two matches with the flu, playing against Mesa State’s Hendrickson in the No. 4 singles spot and won 6-1, 6-2.
Lenny Whiting played MSC’s Inoyue in the No. 5 singles position. Handling the Maverick easily, Whiting won the match 6-0, 6-1.
Ballam served and volleyed his way to victory in the No. 6 spot. Head Coach Christian Wright said Balla continued to be patient and keep his focus after failing to convert three match points against MSC’s Kennel.
“Ballam always competes so hard and has a good attitude on the court,” Wright said. “He did a good job closing it out in the end.”
Ballam went on to win 6-1, 6-1.
The Aggies lone loss came from freshman Sweet, as he slugged it out against Mesa State’s crafty left-handed player Lyden in the No. 3 singles position. The two traded heavy shots, but neither secured dominance in the match. Marchant said the players were equally matched.
“It was a pretty neck-and-neck match,” Marchant said. “There were a lot of long points.”
With Mesa State serving down 5-6 but up in the game score, Lyden’s second serve clipped the net cord and trickled down onto Sweet’s side, leveling the game at 6-all and forcing a tie breaker.
“It was tough for Sweet,” Marchant said.
Sweet refocused to take the tiebreaker but failed to continue the momentum, losing the second set 6-2 and requiring a super tie breaker to decide the match.
Sweet won the first two points, but Lyden refused to back down. The opponents traded shot for shot until the score was 4-all, but Lyden clinched eight straight points. Lyden won the super tie breaker 10-4 and the match 6-7, 6-2, 10-4.
The win brings USU to 2-4 on the season.
The Aggies will host Weber State University Feb. 22 at noon at the Sports Academy and Racquet Club in Logan.
– mega.bodi@aggiemail.usu.edu