MTEN Falls at #55 San Francisco
4/18/2015 12:00:00 AM | Men's Tennis
Box Score
SAN FRANCISCO, Calif.—The Gonzaga University men's tennis team took on its third ranked squad of the season Friday afternoon, falling 4-0 at #55 San Francisco at the Olympic Club in San Francisco.
The Dons won the only three singles matches to finish as the other three were halted once USF won the clinching point. That clinching point came at No. 5 singles where Sergio Chip battled Vasco Valverde. The Mexicali, Mexico native won five games in the first set, forcing an extra game before falling to Valverde 7-5. Valverde won the second set by a couple of breaks for the 7-5, 6-1 clinching win.
On court three, Hayden Smith won five total games against James Tallman before falling in straight sets. Smith won three in the first set and two in the second during the 6-3, 6-2 loss. In the first singles match to finish, Joey Brandt earned singles playing time for the third time this dual season, falling 6-0, 6-0 to Alex Santiago at No. 6 singles.
Two Bulldogs were ahead when their singles matches were halted. Vladimir Mijatovic was up a set on Thomas Takemoto, although Takemoto was ahead in the second set when the match was stopped. The score of that match was 6-2, 2-5 Mijatovic. On court one, Alvaro Nazal needed just one more game to take the first set. He led Bernardo Saraiva 5-2.
San Francisco won the only two doubles matches to finish. Smith and Mijatovic fell on court one while Brandt and Chip lost on court three. On court two, Nazal and Nick Kamisar were up on their USF opponents 5-2 when that match was stopped.
Ranked No. 55 in the nation by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association, San Francisco is the third ranked squad Gonzaga has played this season. They faced then-No. 41 Drake in non-conference action in February, and they played then-No. 50 Pepperdine to begin WCC play in March. The Zags took Pepperdine to the brink, claiming three points in a close 4-3 loss to the Waves.
Gonzaga (10-9, 2-6 WCC) will look to end the regular season with a win Saturday, April 18, when they take on Santa Clara. That match will begin at 12:00 p.m. at the Degheri Tennis Center in Santa Clara, Calif.
