Gonzaga University
New Mexico State
MTEN Comes Back against New Mexico State
1/30/2016 12:00:00 AM | Men's Tennis
TUCSON, Ariz.--The Gonzaga University men's tennis team picked up a come-from-behind victory Saturday afternoon, beating New Mexico State entirely in singles play at LaNelle Robson Tennis Center in Tucson, Ariz.
After winning the doubles point with two pairs victories, the Aggies took a two-point advantage with a win at No. 4 singles. Freshman Emilio Moreno then put Gonzaga on the board for their first point. He took on Donovan Cellupica on court No. 6, winning the first set 6-1 and taking the second 6-3. The win was his fifth of the 2015-16 season.
New Mexico State countered with a win on court five, going up 3-1 in the match and moving to within one point of victory. Then, the top of Gonzaga's singles lineup took over.
Senior Hayden Smith began the rally, picking up Gonzaga's second point from the top of the lineup. He doubled up NMSU's Strahinja Trecakov in the first set 6-3 and beat back a rally from Trecakov in the second to win the match 6-3, 7-5. The comeback continued on No. 2 singles where Jordan Smith squared off against Christofer Goncalves. Their first set too went to extra games with Smith prevailing 7-5, and the Australian took the second in regulation for a 7-5, 6-4 win. The Smiths' singles victories tied the team contest at three points apiece.
The match came down to the No. 3 singles match, the only one to go three sets on the day. The newest Zag, Ruadhan O'Sullivan, won the first set 6-4, but opponent Enrique Asmar took the second by a similar score to force the extra frame. In that third and final set, the O'Sullivan put away the Aggie with a 6-2 set score, ending the match and keeping Gonzaga undefeated on the new season.
After the win against New Mexico State, three Zags - Moreno, O'Sullivan, and J. Smith - are 2-0 in singles play in the dual season. Furthermore, the doubles squad of Smith and Smith are also undefeated in duals; they beat Strahinja and Liam Goldberg 6-4 at No. 1 doubles Saturday.
"The guys never gave up," said Gonzaga head coach Peter MacDonald. "We had chances to clinch the doubles point but we fell short. A lot of times that's hard to come back from, but the fellas stayed focused in singles and got the win."
The Bulldogs (2-0) remain in Tucson for one more match, a showdown against host school and No. 69 Arizona. That match will take place Sunday, Jan. 31, at 11:00 a.m. Pacific.
