MTEN Wraps up Regular Season at Santa Clara
4/19/2015 12:00:00 AM | Men's Tennis
Box Score
SANTA CLARA, Calif.—The Gonzaga University men's tennis squad wrapped up the regular season Saturday, winning two singles matches and threatening a comeback before falling 4-2 to Santa Clara at the Degheri Tennis Center in Santa Clara, Calif.
The Zags dropped the doubles point to begin the match, but Sergio Chip evened the score to begin singles play with a win on court five. The senior won 12 of the 13 games he played with opponent Max Heerinckx, sweeping the first set 6-0 and winning the second 6-1. Chip picked up his 16th singles win of the season, evening his record at 16-16. He jumped into the win column for the first time since March 20.
After Chip's win, the Broncos re-took the lead by winning the next two singles matches. Alvaro Nazal fell to Ilya Osintev in straight sets at No. 1 singles, and Nick Kamisar did the same to Ashot Khacharyan at No. 2 singles to give Santa Clara a 3-1 lead.
Hayden Smith extended the match by adding another tally for Gonzaga on court three. The Breakfast Point, Australia, native beat Sam Bertram in straight sets, winning the first by a break at 6-4. In the second set, Bertram forced an extra game, but Smith prevailed in the extended frame 7-5. It was his team-leading 12th win of the dual season.
Santa Clara clinched the game in the next match to finish, however. At No. 6 singles, Vicente Varas won seven games throughout the contest but lost 6-4, 6-3 to Sebastien Mathieu.
On court four, the match between Vladimir Mijatovic and Mikheil Khmiadashvili was halted once play on court six finished up. That match was even at one set apiece with the two about to start the third set. Mijatovic won the first via a tiebreak at 7-6 (2), and Khamiadshvili took the second at 4-6.
One other match was halted early as in doubles play, Chip and Joey Brandt held a 5-2 lead on their opponents from Santa Clara when the Broncos clinched the doubles point. Santa Clara posted doubles wins on courts one and two.
With the loss, the Zags drop to 10-10 on the year and 2-7 in conference play. The Zags will now turn their attention to the WCC Championships, which run April 22-25 at the Barnes Tennis Center in San Diego, Calif. The Zags are locked into the 9th seed and will play their opening round match at 12:00 p.m. against the 8th seed, which is yet to be determined.
