Richard Hu
Timofey Stepanov prevailed in a long match tiebreker to win in singles in Dallas.
DALLAS – The California men’s tennis team fell to No. 58 Southern Methodist, 5-2, on Sunday at the Styslinger/Altec Tennis Complex, with Alex Chang and Timofey Stepanov winning in singles for the Golden Bears.
Cal’s record is now 4-6. SMU improved to 10-6.
SMU took the doubles point, clinching when the 44th-ranked Adam Neff and Huntley Allen defeated Cal’s Mikey Wright and Carl Emil Overbeck, 6-3, on court one.
The Mustangs reeled off three straight wins in singles to take a 4-0 lead and clinched the overall match when Jerry Barton beat John Kim, 6-2, 6-2. SMU won a fourth straight to lead 5-0.
On court three, Chang split the first two sets with Eric Hadigian before taking the match tiebreaker to win 6-2, 2-6, 1-0(9). Cal trailed 5-1.
In the day’s last match, Stepanov bested SMU’s Maks Silagy, 7-6(5), 6-7, 1-0(13), on court five to make the final score 5-2.
The Bears start Pac-12 Conference play when they host No. 57 Oregon on Saturday and No. 71 Washington next Sunday in Berkeley.
No. 58 SMU (10-6) defeats Cal (4-6), 5-2
March 10, 2024, in Dallas, Texas
Styslinger/Altec Tennis Complex
Doubles
1. No. 44 Adam Neff/Huntley Allen (SMU) def. Mikey Wright/Carl Emil Overbeck (Cal), 6-3*
2. Ryder Jackson/Alex Chang (Cal) vs. Trevor Svajda/Louis Cloud (SMU), 5-5 UNF
3. Maks Silagy/Julian Steinhausen (SMU) def. Qian Sun/John Kim (Cal), 6-3
Order of Finish – 3, 1*
*Clinched the doubles point for SMU
Singles
1. No. 44 Trevor Svajda (SMU) def. No. 107 Carl Emil Overbeck (Cal), 6-3, 7-5
2. Adam Neff (SMU) def. No. 67 Ryder Jackson (Cal), 6-4, 6-0
3. Alex Chang (Cal) def. Eric Hadigian (SMU), 6-2, 2-6, 1-0(9)
4. Liam Krall (SMU def. Jonathan Irwanto (Cal), 6-3, 6-2
5. Timofey Stepanov (Cal) def. Maks Silagy (SMU), 7-6(5), 6-7, 1-0(13)
6. Jerry Barton (SMU) def. John Kim (Cal), 6-2, 6-2^
Order of Finish – 4, 2, 6^, 1, 3, 5
^Clinched the overall win for SMU
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