STARKVILLE– Arizona State men’s tennis (4-1) defeated Virginia Commonwealth (1-2), 4-2, on Sunday in the Championship match of the Mississippi State regional of the 2024 ITA Kickoff Weekend. Today’s victory earned the Sun Devils a berth in the ITA Division I National Team Indoor Championship hosted at Columbia University alongside 15 other teams in New York February 16-19.
This marks the first time in program history that the team has won both matches of the ITA Kickoff Weekend, after defeating No. 25 Florida State 4-3 yesterday, and advancing to the indoor championship where they will be among the top 16 teams in the NCAA.
“It’s always a great step for a program to make their first Sweet 16 appearance. I am so proud of the guys and all the people that were directly related to this step,” noted head coach Matt Hill.
THE DEVILS ARE HEADED TO THE BIG APPLE ?? pic.twitter.com/Ado0wjxoF8
— Sun Devil Men’s Tennis (@SunDevilMTennis) January 28, 2024
Hill again praised the fight in his team, “These guys were so tough today mentally and I couldn’t be more proud.”
The Sun Devils again earned the doubles point to take a 1-0 lead early, and have yet to lose the doubles point this season through five matches. The duo of senior Max McKennon and freshman Bor Artnak are 5-0 as a pair in doubles matches this season.
Murphy Cassone and Martin Vergara made quick work on court one, finishing first and winning 6-1. McKennon and Artnak were the second pair to finish, defeating their opponent 6-3, and securing the doubles point for the Sun Devils.
Vergara Del Perto dropped his singles which allowed VCU to get their first point on the board and it was tied 1-1. Casone was the next to finish and took care of his opponent in straight sets to give ASU a 2-1 edge in the match.
McKennon fell after losing the tiebreaker in his second set and it was a 2-2 match. Within minutes of each other, Bullard and Ginat won in their third sets to give the Sun Devils the 4-2 victory.
Singles:
- Murphy Cassone (ASU) def. Matisse Bobichon (VCU) 6-2, 6-2
- Bor Artnak (ASU) vs. Mathis Bondaz (VCU) 6-3, 3-6, 5-5, unfinished
- Oscar Pinto Sansano (VCU) def. Max McKennon (ASU) 6-4, 7-6
- Jacob Bullard (ASU) def. Hamza El Amine (VCU) 7-6, 5-7, 6-1
- Romaine Gales (VCU) def. Martin Vergara Del Puerto (ASU) 6-1, 6-3
- Roi Ginat (ASU) def. German Samofalov…
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