April 28, 2006
SAN DIEGO - The 48th-ranked San Diego State men's tennis team advanced to the finals of the Mountain West Conference tournament with a decisive 4-0 semifinal victory Friday afternoon over No. 61 Utah at Barnes Tennis Center. The top-seeded Aztecs swept doubles competition and captured the first three contests in singles play to advance to their fifth straight MWC championship match. The triumph also improves SDSU's record to 15-7 on the year, while the Utes finished their season at 15-10.
The Aztecs pounced on Utah right out of the gate, taking all three doubles matches. First off the court was the duo of Stephan Timu and Anthony Gomez, who won for the first time in six outings with an 8-4 effort over the Utes' Jason Yap and Tomasz Grzyb at the No. 2 position. The tandem of Christian Groh and Robert Sabo then clinched the point for the scarlet and black by dispatching Dan Mascell and Wes Hancock, 8-4, at the No. 3 spot. SDSU was able to complete the sweep after the 13th-ranked pairing of Markus Dickhardt and Benedikt Stronk knocked off No. 37 Zach Ganger and Nick Coutts by the same count of 8-4.
The Aztecs wasted no time in singles play either as Utah offered minimal resistance on the day. At the No. 3 position, Stronk quickly disposed of Coutts, 6-1, 6-3, while Timu inflicted a 6-2, 6-1 beating on Hancock at the No. 4 spot. Dickhardt then provided the winning point with a straight-set victory over Gryzb, 6-2, 6-4, on the No. 2 court. Meanwhile, Groh, Sabo and Gomez were still on the courts in their respective matches when the outcome was decided.
SDSU will vie for its second consecutive MWC tournament championship and fourth in the last five years when it squares off against No. 33 TCU in Saturday's finale at Barnes Tennis Center. The Aztecs defeated the Horned Frogs in their previous meeting, 4-3, on April 16, which gave the scarlet and black the league's regular season title. Match time is set for 11 a.m.
No. 48 SAN DIEGO STATE 4, No. 61 UTAH 0
Barnes Tennis Center--San Diego, Calif.
Doubles:
1) No. 13 Benedikt Stronk/MarkusDickhardt (SDSU) def. No. 37 Zach Ganger/Nick Coutts (UU); 8-4.
2) Stephan Timu/Anthony Gomez (SDSU) def. Jason Yap/Tomasz Grzyb (UU); 8-4.
3) Christian Groh/Robert Sabo def. Dan Mascall/Wes Hancock (UU); 8-4.
SDSU wins doubles point
Singles:
1) No. 86 Christian Groh (SDSU) vs. Zach Ganger (UU) 6-4, 2-3, DNF.
2) Markus Dickhardt (SDSU) def. Tomasz Grzyb (UU), 6-2, 6-4.
3) Benedikt Stronk (SDSU) def. Nick Coutts (UU), 6-1, 6-3.
4) Stephan Timu (SDSU) def. Wes Hancock (UU), 6-2, 6-1.
5) Anthony Gomez (SDSU) vs. Jason Yap (UU) 7-6(5), 1-1, DNF.
6) Ryan Scott (UU) vs. Robert Sabo (SDSU); 6-4, 3-3, DNF.
Order of Finish
Doubles: 2, 3, 1 Singles: 3, 4, 2*
*match-securing victory