Fresno State Athletics
Fresno State
Utah State
`Dogs Advance Against Utah State
4/24/2009 12:00:00 AM | Men's Tennis
April 24, 2009
FRESNO, Calif. - The No. 41 Fresno State men's tennis team got one step closer to returning to the WAC Championship match with a 4-0 sweep of Utah State in the first round of the conference tournament Friday at Honolulu, Hawai'i.
Fresno State came out prepared and made short work of the Aggies.
The Bulldogs started the day by winning the doubles point. The Second Team All-WAC doubles tandem of Rikus de Villiers and Remi Boutillier shutout Alex Thatcher and Amit Maharaj, 8-0, and Taylor Leiby and Tejesvi Veerepalli took out Mike Banks and Jordan Barlow, 8-2.
Veerepalli led the way in singles, picking up the first win with a 6-0, 6-0, routing of Thatcher.
Freshman Boutillier continued to hold down the No. 4 position with an impressive 6-0, 6-0 win over Banks.
De Villiers, a sophomore, clinched the match for Fresno State by beating Maharaj, 6-1, 6-1.
When the match was clinched, the Bulldogs were leading in two of the three remaining matches. Second Team All-WAC member Mirko Zapletal was ahead of Jakob Asplund, 6-3, 0-1, and First Team All-WAC honoree and No. 61 Rudolf Siwy held a 6-0, 4-1 advantage on Bryan Marchant.
"It's a good start to the WAC Championships, we're playing well and looking forward to our next match," said head coach Jay Udwadia.
On Saturday at 6 p.m. PT the Bulldogs will face the winner of the Hawai'i and Idaho match to be played Thursday at 6 p.m. PT in Honolulu, Hawai'i.
NCAA MEN'S TENNIS
April 24, 2009 - Honolulu, Hawai'i
No. 41 Fresno State def. Utah State, 4-0
Doubles (Fresno State wins the doubles point)
1. No. 37 Zapletal/Siwy (FS) vs. Asplund/Marchant (USU) 3-6, unfinished
2. De Villiers/Boutillier (FS) def. Thatcher/Maharaj (USU) 8-0
3. Leiby/Veerepali (FS) def. Banks/Barlow (USU) 8-2
Order of Completion: 2, 3
Singles
1. Mirko Zapletal (FS) vs. Jakob Asplund (USU) 6-3, 0-1, unfinished
2. No. 61 Rudolf Siwy (FS) vs. Bryan Marchant (USU) 6-0, 4-1, unfinished
3. Rikus de Villiers (FS) def. Amit Maharaj (USU) 6-1, 6-1
4. Remi Boutillier (FS) def. Mike Banks (USU) 6-0, 6-0
5. Tejesvi Veerepali (FS) def. Alex Thatcher (USU) 6-0, 6-0
6. Flavio Mollinedo (FS) vs. Jordan Barlow (USU) 3-6, 3-2, unfinished
Order of Completion: 5, 4, 3*
"Join the State - Fresno State" - Support the Bulldogs as they travel to Honolulu, Hawai'i, for the WAC Championships from April 24-26. Follow the 'Dogs throughout the season on www.gobulldogs.com.
