Men’s Tennis | March 22, 2024
LOS ANGELES – USC men’s tennis (5-10, 0-1 Pac-12) dropped its Pac-12 opener, as it fell to No. 6-ranked Arizona (15-2, 1-0 Pac-12) on Friday, Mar. 22 at Marks Tennis Stadium.
The Trojans failed to muster much momentum, as they won just one of the six matches that finished (doubles included). USC won in one doubles match as the pairing of freshman Volodymyr Iakubenko and junior Karl Lee swept the Wildcats No. 3 doubles squad, 6-0.
In singles the Trojans led just one of the six doubles played after the first set. That lone player was graduate transfer Niroop Vallabhaneni. Vallabhaneni is well on his way to his first dual victory, before the match-clinching point was won by Arizona.
USC returns to action against Arizona State at 4 p.m. on Sunday at Marks Tennis Stadium.
#6 Arizona 4, USC 0
Friday, March 22
Marks Tennis Stadium | Los Angeles, Calif.
DOUBLES
1. #24 Colton Smith/Jay Friend (ARIZ) def. Peter Makk/Lodewijk Weststrate (USC) 6-2
2. Herman Hoeyeraal/Eric Padgham (ARIZ) def. Samuel Rubell/Niroop Vallabhaneni (USC) 6-4
3. Volodymyr Iakubenko/Karl Lee (USC) def. Alexander Rozin/Sasha Strom (ARIZ) 6-0
Arizona wins doubles point.
Order of finish: 3, 1, 2
SINGLES
1. #14 Colton Smith (ARIZ) def. #73 Peter Makk (USC) 6-3, 7-5
2. #26 Jay Friend (ARIZ) vs. #106 Volodymyr Iakubenko (USC) 7-6(5), 5-5 UNF
3. #80 Gustaf Strom (ARIZ) def. #122 Lodewijk Weststrate (USC) 6-2, 6-3
4. #97 Herman Hoeyeraal (ARIZ) def. Karl Lee (USC) 6-2, 6-3
5. Nick Lagaev (ARIZ) vs. Samuel Rubell (USC) 7-6(7), 3-1 UNF
6. Niroop Vallabhaneni (USC) vs. Casper Christensen (ARIZ) 6-4, 4-4 UNF
Order of finish: 4, 3, 1
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