'Cats Down Hornets to Stay Unbeaten in Big Sky

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- The Weber State men's tennis team remained perfect in Big Sky Conference play on Thursday with a 5-2 win over five-time defending champion Sacramento State.

"Our guys played really well today against an always tough opponent," said WSU head coach Brad Ferreira. "It's always hard to play at low altitude when you practice at high altitude indoors, but the team adjusted well and got a win against a team that rarely loses at home.

"(Sacramento State) has been hit with some injuries to key players, and will be a much stronger team at the conference tournament, but this is a good win nonetheless and it is great for our confidence to head into the last part of the Big Sky schedule with a 6-0 record."

The win ends a 34-match home winning streak in conference play for the Hornets, which dated back to 2005.

The Wildcats came out hard in doubles, winning all three matches by an 8-4 margin or greater. Todd Fought and Jakub Gewert put the Wildcats in position to claim the doubles point with an 8-2 win over Ayman Abdulwahab and Oliver Anderson in the No. 2 spot in the lineup. Oliver Good and Sanjay Goswami clinched the point soon after with an 8-2 win over Niranjan Ram and Roy Brandys in the No. 1 spot. Landon Barlow and Caio Poitena finished off the doubles sweep with an 8-4 win over Joaquin Marquez and Alejandro Villarreal in the No. 3 match.

Ram evened the match for Sacramento State as singles play opened with a 6-2, 6-1 win over Fought in the No.2 match, but Good put WSU back ahead with a 7-6 (7-3) victory over Marquez in the No. 3 match.

Poitena followed with a 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 win over Anderson to put Weber State ahead for good. Brandys scored a 6-4, 2-6, 6-2 win over Gewert in the No. 1 singles match to get the Hornets within a point at 3-2, but they would get no closer.

Goswami clinched the match for Weber State with a 3-6, 7-5, 6-0 win in the No. 6 singles match, and Barlow wrapped up the day with a 6-2, 6-7, 10-7 win over Abdulwahab in the No. 5 match.

Weber State improved to 10-8 overall and 6-0 in the Big Sky with the win. Sacramento State, meanwhile, dropped to 7-12 overall and 4-3 in conference play.

Weber State vs Sacramento State

Mar 27, 2014 at Sacramento, Calif.

(Sacramento State)

Weber State 5, Sacramento State 2

Singles competition

1. BRANDYS, Roy (SAC) def. GEWERT, Jakub (WSU) 6-4, 2-6, 6-2

2. RAM, Niranjan (SAC) def. FOUGHT, Todd (WSU) 6-2, 6-1

3. GOOD, Oliver (WSU) def. MARQUEZ, Joaquin (SAC) 7-6 (7-3), 6-3

4. POITENA, Caio (WSU) def. ANDERSEN, Oliver (SAC) 6-3, 3-6, 6-3

5. BARLOW, Landon (WSU) def. ABDULWAHAB, Ayman (SAC) 6-2, 6-7, 10-7

6. GOSWAMI, Sanjay (WSU) def. VILLARREAL, A. (SAC) 3-6, 7-5, 6-0

Doubles competition

1. GOOD, Oliver/GOSWAMI, Sanjay (WSU) def. RAM, Niranjan/BRANDYS, Roy (SAC) 8-2

2. FOUGHT, Todd/GEWERT, Jakub (WSU) def. ABDULWAHAB, Ayman/ANDERSEN, Oliver (SAC) 8-2

3. BARLOW, Landon/POITENA, Caio (WSU) def. MARQUEZ, Joaquin/VILLARREAL, A. (SAC) 8-4

Match Notes:

Weber State 10-8, 6-0

Sacramento State 7-12, 4-3

Order of finish: Doubles (2,1,3); Singles (2,3,4,1,6,5)

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Landon Barlow

Todd Fought

Jakub Gewert

Oliver Good

Sanjay Goswami

Caio Poitena

Weber State University Athletics