Jan. 13, 2006
LA JOLLA, Calif. - The San Diego State men's tennis team notched three singles victories to go along with a triumph in doubles play Friday as the Aztecs completed day one of the Aztec Invitational at La Jolla Beach and Tennis Club in La Jolla, Calif. SDSU, ranked 43rd in the first ITA poll of 2006, faced No. 53 Arizona State in a mock dual match that featured individual results and no team scoring.
"I was very impressed with the overall keenness of play on our first day back," said Aztec head coach Gene Carswell. "We're looking forward to improving our results the rest of the weekend."
SDSU senior Benedikt Stronk (Berlin, Germany) returned to the lineup for the first time since the 2005 Mountain West Conference championship and recorded a tough three-set victory over ASU's Ryan McBride at No. 1 singles, 7-6 (5), 2-6, 6-3. Junior Markus Dickhardt (Marburg, Germany) and senior Stephan Timu (Montreal, Quebec) were also winners for the Aztecs at No. 2 and No. 4 singles, respectively.
Sophomore Robert Sabo (Rancho Mirage, Calif.), ranked 84th nationally, was not as fortunate however, falling to ASU's Christopher Biro in straight sets, 6-1, 7-6 (2). Friday the 13th was not completely unlucky for Sabo as he and Timu easily dispatched the Sun Devils' duo of Ryan Waites and Mike Beatty, 8-1, in doubles competition.
SDSU will square off against Arizona State again on Saturday when the action returns to campus at the Aztec Tennis Center, set to begin at 11 a.m.
Aztec Invitational-La Jolla Beach and Tennis Club-La Jolla, Calif.
Singles (SDSU vs. Arizona State):
Benedikt Stronk (SDSU) def. Ryan McBride (ASU), 7-6 (5), 2-6, 6-3.
Markus Dickhardt (SDSU) def. Jonathan Kinsella (ASU), 6-2, 6-2.
Christopher Biro (ASU) def. Robert Sabo (SDSU), 6-1, 7-6 (2).
Stephan Timu (SDSU) def. Mike Beatty (ASU), 6-4, 6-2.
Wes Miller (ASU) def. Eugenio Romero (SDSU), 6-3, 6-4.
Nick Hegarty (ASU) def. Anthony Gomez (SDSU), 6-2, 6-4.
T.J. Bellema (ASU) def. Nima Ossareh (SDSU), 6-2, 6-4.
Doubles:
Kinsella/McBride (ASU) def. Stronk/Dickhardt (SDSU), 9-8 (5).
Timu/Sabo (SDSU) def. Waites/Beatty, 8-1.
Bellema/Hegarty (ASU) def. Gomez/Romero (SDSU), 8-2.